EMMITSBURG,
Md. – Located in Emmitsburg, the National Fire Academy
and the Emergency Management Institute facilities is a federal
government facility. Just a year ago security guards manned
a security building at the gate entrance, checking in every
incoming visitor and calling ahead to make sure they are expected.
But now the booth sits empty and cars freely pass in and out
of the gated entrance. This makes it somewhat easier for visitors
to come and visit the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial
and other public areas, while still meeting the federal guidelines
for security.
“We
took security off the gates a year ago, mainly for budget
reasons,” said Ronald P. Face, Jr, director, NETC
Management, Operations, and Support Services with U.S. Fire
Academy.
Now
security personnel watch the gate via cameras, Face said.
In lieu of the manned gate, a series of barriers have been
set up on the main road leading to the buildings and a sign
directs guests to proceed to the security building on the
campus for check in and students to proceed to the registration
building.
Since
the threat level for the country is generally at elevated
(yellow), there is no need to restrict campus access to
only essential personnel, according to federal guidelines.
Face said the fire academy has agreements with the Maryland
State Police and Frederick County Sheriff’s Office
for situations where the threat level is raised.
“If
that happened, we would hire a number of officers and sheriff’s
deputies to help us,” Face said.
A
sign directing incoming traffic acts as a “No Trespassing”
sign, according to Face, but the campus could be considered
easily accessible as anyone could bypass check in at the
security or registration building. However, the campus has
video surveillance and Face said that anyone found on campus
to not be an employee, student or guest, will be considered
a trespasser and “will be prosecuted.”
The
public is allowed on the campus, particularly to visit the
National Fallen Firefighters Memorial.
“All
they need to do is stop in at the security building and
sign in, but they will be told that they cannot go anyplace
else and that they should go directly from the parking lot
to the location and directly back,” Face said.
The
National Fire Academy is on the grounds of the old St. Joseph
College, which closed in 1973. The federal government purchased
it for $3.5 million in 1978 and located the fire academy
and what is today known as the Emergency Management Institute,
part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, there.
About 25,000 students come through the academy classes each
year, spending a day to two weeks at a time in Emmitsburg.
FEMA became part of the Department of Homeland Security
in 2003 and so did the Emmitsburg property.
