HARRISBURG – HACC’s promise to provide state-of-the-art educational facilities for the region’s first responders moved forward April 14 with a ceremonial groundbreaking for a $15 million expansion and renovation of the Senator John J. Shumaker Public Safety Center (PSC).

He was joined by scores of state, county and local officials; first responders; business and community leaders; and HACC staff, faculty and students who gathered to celebrate the partnerships that made the next steps possible in the first phase of the master plan to upgrade the PSC.

Dauphin County Commissioners Jeffrey T. Haste, Mike Pries and George P. Hartwick III presented a check for $500,000 toward the project through the Local Share Municipal Grant Program, from funds generated by Penn National’s Hollywood Casino in East Hanover Township.

Cadets from the 99th Police Academy presented and retired the colors.

The event was held at the PSC complex in a parking lot along Industrial Highway where construction will begin. The estimated 18-month, first phase of the project includes remedies to areas in need of immediate attention, including renovation of the six-story fire training tower, smoke structure and burn building; construction of a new law enforcement complex that includes a state-of-the-art, 25-lane indoor firing range and will achieve Silver LEED rating; an expanded parking lot; and additional training sites for Hazmat and other emergency situations.

The second, third, and fourth phases of the master plan will expand the current capabilities of the center into new realms of technology and training possibilities. Timetables and projected costs are to be determined after the first phase is completed.

A year ago, HACC, Central Pennsylvania’s Community College, launched the public portion of The Campaign to Help Tomorrow’s First Responders, Today! to fund the $15 million phase one of the master plan to expand and upgrade the complex that serves more than 30,000 first responders and healthcare workers a year.