Tag: public safety
Pat McFeely, Public Safety Market Segment Leader for SCHRADERGROUP, Featured in Facility Executive Magazine
The June 2024 issue of Facility Executive Magazine features an interview with Pat McFeely, SCHRADERGROUP’s Public Safety Market Segment Leader, and Steve Devon, RMF Engineering’s Sr. Project Manager. The article, Preparing for Disaster: Designing the Last Building Standing, unpacks the planning and design process behind resilient mission-critical facilities.
Mr. McFeely expounds upon the pivotal factors to consider when designing these structures: “Our job as designers is to ensure that the architecture responds to those risks while still being contextually relevant and welcoming to the community.” The designers behind these facilities must create a balance between building resilience and user ergonomics. This fine line is crucial to the efficiency of emergency responders and to the well-being of the community.
Pat also notes that “emergency services are stressful, demanding, and sometimes tragic, so everything we design is in support of the people performing that work.” Every facility SCHRADERGROUP designs positions the individuals who utilize these spaces 24/7 to be safe and comfortable. While no two emergency response facilities are the same, each one provides tailored results for the community’s needs.
To read the full interview, click here.
One-Year Testimonial of Chatham County’s Emergency Management and 9-1-1 Communications Center
Just over a year after its doors officially opened, the new Chatham County Emergency Management and 9-1-1 Communications Center serves as a beacon for the community. The campus rests on forty acres of heavily wooded land in Pittsboro, North Carolina, and acts as the primary Public Safety Answering Point for the county. SCHRADERGROUP (SG) provided architectural and engineering services for the facility, and we are excited to see it benefit the community after its opening. The facility merges the Emergency Management and Communications Operations sectors to provide efficient solutions for those in need.
Steve Newton, Chatham County Emergency Management Director, comments on the facility’s benefits: “This past year we’ve not only enjoyed a beautiful new building with additional space and features, but also a mission critical facility with functionality, flexibility, and survivability designed into every space.”
The previous center was small and dim, without much room to spread out and work efficiently. The new hardened facility now has substantial amounts of natural light shining through the work areas, ample conference room space, a full kitchen with dining capabilities, ADA accessibility, collaboration spaces, and effective workstations equipped with up-to-date technology and the capacity to handle threat assessments and emergency operations swiftly. In emergencies, it is imperative to have reliable technology and enough space for comfort. Emergency responders need an environment conducive to high-stress situations. SG considered the nature of the work and the well-being of the responders when designing the facility, leading to its dynamic and practical layout.
Mike Reitz, Chatham County Emergency Communications Director adds, “Our staff in the 9-1-1 center provide a critical service to the community, one that is often stressful and emotionally draining. This new working environment is a breath of fresh air for them; the design of this facility had their mental health and well-being as a top priority. SCHRADERGROUP exceeded our expectations and delivered a welcoming space for our staff to use for many years to come.”
SG is pleased with the progress the Chatham County community has seen from the construction of the new center. We gain a sense of pride in knowing our buildings help provide a hub for emergency responders in times of crisis.
To view more of our Public Safety projects, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Welcomes the Newest Member of Our Mission Critical Team, Craig Schulz
We welcome Craig Schulz to SCHRADERGROUP (SG) as the newest member of our Mission Critical Facility team. He has thirty years of experience in the Public Safety market with expertise in critical infrastructure design, disaster recovery planning, and continuity-of-operations management.
Craig’s background makes him an ideal liaison and interface between SG and both our Owner/Clients and the specialty consulting firms with whom we work. Moreover, his knowledge of, and experience with, the grant processes is a valuable resource to stakeholders as they seek project funding sources.
In his role here at SG, Craig will manage Mission Critical projects from inception through planning, oversee construction document production, and have an integral role in the construction administration process. More specifically to the construction process, Craig will be the coordinator for technology integration into these new facilities.
Craig is based in our Raleigh, NC office, and will support our Mission Critical Facility endeavors nationwide. He is a true asset to SG; we are thrilled to have him on our team and for the opportunity to offer his vast resume to our current and future clientele.
Willistown Township Unveils Their Renovated Township Building
Willistown Township recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony commemorating their newly renovated Township services building. The building houses an array of local government offices and staff serving the approximate 11,000 residents of Willistown. Originally constructed for the Willistown Police Department, this building was converted to its current administrative use when the Police Department moved into their new building in 2014. At that time, the Township made some minor modifications, however, the overall condition of the old building still needed further improvements.
Most notably, the building lacked ADA accessibility at the main public entrance, and the front porch itself was worn and degraded. Moreover, that same entrance did not have an adequately secure public lobby, and further lacked sufficient space for public transactions and business.
The front porch and main entry renovations include new decking, stairs, railings, columns, and lights. All elements of new construction and renovation were aesthetically aligned with the historical nature of the original building and surrounding areas. A new, wood-framed ramp, complementing the existing front porch construction, was added along the side of the building. This ramp now provides a clear, universally accessible pathway from the parking lot to the front entry.
Once inside the new front door, visitors find themselves in an enlarged secure lobby, isolated from the rest of the building. Township staff now have total control over visitor access to the various floor levels and office spaces of the building. This change enhances the safety and security of all the office occupants.
The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated these improvements, and we, at SG, are grateful for the opportunity to help the dedicated staff of Willistown Township.
PennDOT District 6-0 Regional Traffic Management Center Recognized for 2024 ACEC/PA Diamond Award
The American Council of Engineering Companies of Pennsylvania (ACEC/PA) awarded PennDOT District 6-0’s Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC) a Diamond Award in the Building/Technology Systems category. SCHRADERGROUP (SG) supported the team leader, Heim Construction, along with technology and engineering partners Jacobs and Bala Consulting Engineers. Completed in 2023, the new RTMC is a centralized traffic management hub in Upper Merion Township for PennDOT employees to monitor and safeguard traffic conditions throughout the greater Philadelphia region. The Diamond Award occurs annually and honors engineering firms that create highly innovative and efficient buildings. SG would like to extend our congratulations to the engineers and the entire design-build team.
Click here to see the project.
SCHRADERGROUP Ranks in Building Design + Construction’s Top 150 Local Government Building Sector
Recently, Building Design + Construction (BD+C) published their Top 150 Local Government Building Sector firms in their Giants 400 Building Report. The Top 150 Local Government Building Sector highlights the largest government building architecture and engineering (A/E) firms throughout the nation and SCHRADERGROUP (SG) came in at number 108 in 2023.
SG is honored to receive this notoriety alongside other top A/E firms. Each recognition motivates us to continue to help our clients achieve excellent results.
Learn more about SG’s projects by clicking here.
SCHRADERGROUP’S PennDOT Project Wins ABC’s Excellence in Construction Award
Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) hosted their annual Excellence in Construction (EIC) awards ceremony, recognizing members for their dedication to producing high-quality facilities to better serve the public. During the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter’s thirty-third gala, SCHRADERGROUP (SG) won the EIC award for our PennDOT Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC) and parking structure in Upper Merion Township.
SG, with Heim Construction, designed and built the RTMC to function as efficiently and safely as possible, providing innovative technology to monitor, manage, and improve the flow of traffic throughout Philadelphia. The hard-working public safety team stationed in this facility protects and improves the lives of many, and we are proud to contribute to their efforts. We are grateful to have won this award for this project and will continue to serve the community with efficient, state-of-the-art buildings.
ABC’s Excellence in Construction award honors the region’s most inventive and well-constructed buildings. The awards gala celebrated top designers and builders throughout Eastern PA who deliver work to better local communities, with an emphasis on public safety, cost-effectiveness, and ethics. SG is honored to receive this recognition.
To see more of our public safety projects, click here.
Chatham County Unveils New Emergency Operations Center with Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) was honored to attend the ribbon-cutting for Chatham County’s new Emergency Operations Center in Pittsboro, North Carolina. SG served as the architect and structural engineering firm for the new facility. The center combines the county’s Emergency Management and Emergency Communications operations and administration sectors, providing a fully functional space to best serve the community’s needs.
The center is instrumental in providing services to those in need. From the moment the team receives the call, having an efficient, high-tech, and spacious workplace is critical to their commitment to safeguarding the community. Training, technology, and common spaces promote efficiency, productivity, and collaboration within the team. The dedicated members of this center play a vital role in keeping the public safe, and SG was proud to construct the new space.
The emergency staff of Chatham County are well-deserving individuals who help foster public safety, and we are delighted to have been a part of this process from the beginning. This project adds to the preservation and protection of the public, and we are proud to have been involved.
To see more Public Safety and Mission Critical projects we have worked on, please visit our website here.
PennDOT Southeastern Regional Traffic Management Center and Parking Garage recognized as Alternative Delivery Project of the Year (2022)
SCHRADERGROUP (SG) is proud to announce that the PennDOT District 6 Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC), for which we served as the design team with design-builder Heim Construction, was recognized by March of Dimes as the Alternative Delivery Project of the year! The award was received by Louis Belmonte, on behalf of PennDOT District 6.
The Alternative Delivery Project of the Year Award recognizes exceptional projects that have been executed using alternative project delivery methods. In the case of the RTMC project, DGS and PennDOT agreed to use the Design-Build delivery method to economize on schedule, budget, and process. The award acknowledges this and highlights projects that have successfully implemented these alternative delivery methods while achieving outstanding results in terms of design, construction, cost management, and overall project success.
Photography by Todd Mason
The PennDOT District 6 Project is a 24/7 regional traffic management center (RTMC) that uses Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) to help manage and monitor traffic patterns as well as to improve the flow of traffic throughout the Philadelphia region. The new RTMC is an impressive and modern facility designed to prioritize safety and to improve traffic flows by using state-of-the-art technology, including advanced traffic management systems, ITS, and a network of cameras and sensors. The RTMC has been constructed to help leverage these technologies as the region’s roadway network is modified and improved in coming years.
Within the RTMC facility, there are dedicated staff members assigned to monitor live camera feeds as well as electronic traffic sensors, ensuring the accurate and timely reporting of crucial information to emergency services, local transportation agencies, and law enforcement. User amenities abound in the facility as next generation communication and control centers begin to reflect the ergonomic needs of the users who work long hours to protect the region’s drivers.
SCHRADERGROUP is proud to have been part of the Heim design-build team to develop this incredible project for PennDOT, DGS and for the region’s drivers.
To see more of our public safety projects, click here.
SCHRADERGROUP Attends the 2022 IACP Annual Conference and Exposition!
The SCHRADERGROUP team attended and exhibited at the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) Annual Conference and Exposition this year from October 15th to the 18th at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas.
SG Principals Tom Forsberg and Harry Pettoni represented SCHRADERGROUP at the bustling conference. While there, the team attended educational sessions supporting the planning, design, and construction process of police facilities. Speakers presented information about the impact of technology on law enforcement agencies as wells as the future challenges police & law enforcement agencies may encounter. The SG team discovered new techniques of leveraging technology to enhance public safety in neighborhoods and schools.
The IACP is the world’s largest and most influential professional association for police leaders. With more than 32,000 members in over 170 countries, the IACP is a recognized leader in global policing, committed to advancing safer communities through thoughtful, progressive police leadership. Since 1893, the association has been serving communities worldwide by speaking out on behalf of law enforcement and advancing leadership and professionalism in policing worldwide.
The IACP Annual Conference is the largest and most important law enforcement event of the year, with more than 16,000 public safety professionals attending to learn new techniques, advance their knowledge and careers, and equip their department for ongoing success. The conference focuses on the three tenants of training, networking, and exposition hall education, with more than 175 workshops offered each year on a variety of topics important to the profession.
Learn more about SCHRADERGROUP’s public safety and mission critical facility work here.
Learn more about IACP Annual Conference here.