Birdseye View: 7 Traps that can turn your Training Facility into a Disaster!
Introduction
According to Bill Booth, developer of Interact Business Group, the dangerous times we’re living in call for stringent safety measures. We know from recent history the need to be prepared at all times and in all places in order to defend ourselves and our communities. Now, more than ever, high-tech training for public safety personnel is necessary, and can best be procured via a state of the art public safety training facility. Do you know what it takes to develop a successful plan for your public safety training center?
Over the last 15 years, Interact Business Group has successfully assisted public safety agencies, colleges and universities to plan, build and operate their training centers. Years of experience have provided many tried and true processes, and valuable insight into the mistakes and misdirections that have caused projects to falter or fail.
The following information is a synopsis of Interact’s “7 Traps Booklet,” which highlights the seven most common traps that can turn your training facility into a DISASTER.
Trap1—Not Knowing the Preliminary Site & Equipment Requirements
Pick your site carefully! It might be the most important decision you make. Look at your operation from a long-range perspective. What’s a good deal or even free today, may look prime now, but may not be adequate in 10–20 years. Don’t pass inadequate planning on to the next generation! How? Don’t settle! Take your time. The decision you make today could make or break your future.
Approach the selection of your training equipment from a worldview. Public Safety Training Center equipment technology is constantly changing, and your resources are overwhelming. So reach out and get some help. Do the footwork now to benefit your training center in the future.
Trap 2—Not knowing how the training facility will be used
Develop a broad perspective when it comes to planning for current and future use. Consider your training regulations, how will you meet their directives? What about specialized needs in your community?
Trap 3—Losing focus on the training assets and priorities at the facility
Stay focused! Determine your highest priority facility asset based on your needs assessment. If you are faced with a tight budget, you may have to make some concessions in your initial plan.
Trap 4—Underestimating the cost to build the training facility
Don’t get caught in this stage of planning or your project may be delayed or cancelled. Estimating too low your budget may be suspect, too high and it may not make it pass its first review....
Trap 5—Failing to establish ongoing annual operation costs
It’s easy to get caught up in all the costs necessary to build the facility, but don’t forget the daily maintenance. Building the facility is only half of the financial challenge; the other half is maintaining the annual operation costs. Failure to cover this budget item from the beginning will affect future use.
Trap 6—Failing to establish a clear benefit analysis
Throughout the project planning process, continually ask yourself, “What makes my project stand out?” Why will budget managers want to choose your project over others? Failure to establish project cost benefits may kill your project before the funding analysis begins.
Trap 7—Failing to establish a clear road map for the project
Fully assess the needs of the facility, and leaving no major questions unanswered. Your well-thought out strategic business plan will show those that you have thoroughly researched the project...