Cal Maritime to Unveil Training Center for First Responders

California State University Maritime Academy is opening the doors to its new Maritime Safety and Security Center. The Center is the only facility west of Texas for preparing professionals with essential and advanced skills for safety and security in the transportation industry.

A ribbon cutting featuring demonstrations and tours are set for Wednesday, April 8 from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 756 West Gertrude Avenue in Richmond. Gates will open at 10:30 a.m.

The new Maritime Safety and Security Center, located in Richmond, is a resource for the training of first responders from local, state, regional and federal agencies. The Center also provides custom training and professional development courses for industry professionals.

“The MSSC fills training gaps for law enforcement, fire, and emergency management first responders,” said Bruce Clark, Cal Maritime’s director of maritime security projects. “The Center focuses on standardized training that promotes collaboration between agencies. The goal is to create a network of capabilities to plan for, prevent, mitigate and recover from all potential disasters.”

The Center was created through a public-private partnership between Cal Maritime and the Chevron Richmond Refinery. Chevron provided a five-acre piece of land to build the site, and funding to leverage a federal port security grant.

“Chevron is proud to collaborate with MSSC to develop this unique facility,” said Kory Judd, Richmond Refinery General Manager. “A center like this will train current and future generations of first responders from around the state and the country.”

Some of the programs and services offered at the MSSC include:

• Marine firefighting and safety
• Industrial firefighting and emergency response
• Small arms certification
• HAZMAT training
• Small boat operations
• Maritime security certification
• Ongoing professional development
• Customized courses and consulting