Community Lifeline Initiative FAQs

The Community Lifeline is a workforce development and emergency response training initiative by Central Piedmont Community College in partnership with Mecklenburg County and local first responder agencies. It includes a state-of-the-art training facility designed to prepare and upskill first responders while engaging the community in public safety education.

With Mecklenburg County’s rapid population growth, there is a rising need for well-trained firefighters, paramedics, law enforcement officers, and emergency management professionals. This initiative creates a sustainable pipeline for training and providing continuing education to first responders while improving community safety and preparedness.

The facility will be located on the Levine Campus in Matthews, N.C. It will be constructed adjacent to the existing campus buildings, integrating seamlessly with the current infrastructure while creating separate and dedicated training spaces for emergency response programs. The physical training facility will be located across Campus Ridge Road (the double-yellow line road will run between the two campuses) and the driving course will be in a separate area on the existing campus.

This is a multi-phased initiative. We are still in the process of designing the facility and have started preparing the land for construction. The facility is expected to be fully operational by 2028.

The state-of-the-art training facility will include:

• real-world simulation environments
  • residential home
  • convenience store
  • fire building
  • vehicle accident sites
• a burn building and entrapment training area
• a high-tech emergency vehicle driving course
• virtual reality (VR) and drone training spaces
• emergency medical crisis labs
• indoor firing range for credentialed trainees
• classrooms for mental health, conflict resolution, and cross-agency instruction

These components are designed to offer immersive, hands-on training for fire, EMS, and law enforcement personnel.

Central Piedmont is working in close partnership with emergency response agencies across Mecklenburg County to design the curriculum and training environment. These agencies provide input on the types of scenarios, skills, and tools needed to ensure that the training reflects current and emerging needs in the field. The initiative is built on shared goals of strengthening the emergency response workforce and improving coordination across agencies.

Safety remains our top priority. The training facility will be a secure, controlled environment with all training activities monitored and managed by professional instructors and public safety experts. The design ensures that realistic training does not disrupt the safety or operations of the broader campus. The college is committed to maintaining a professional learning environment for all students, staff, and visitors.

The facility offers real-world emergency simulations, cross-agency collaboration spaces, and cutting-edge technology such as: 

• simulated training environments (homes, businesses, burn areas, entrapment spaces) 
• a specialized emergency vehicle driving course 
• virtual reality (VR) and drone-based training 
• high-tech crisis simulation labs 

There is no other facility where all our first responders can train together.

The facility will support: 

• Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) – 16-week program preparing students for certification in North Carolina 
• Emergency Medical Science (EMS) – training from Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) to Paramedic certification. 
• Public Safety Administration Degree – specializations in Emergency & Fire Management and Fire Service Leadership

The programs are open to: 

• aspiring first responders looking for training in law enforcement, EMS, fire services, and emergency management 
• current first responders seeking required recertification and advanced training

The indoor, sound-encapsulated range is one component of the broader Community Lifeline Initiative, which supports the continuing education and certification of law enforcement and first responders across our region. Many public safety personnel must travel outside Mecklenburg County for firearms training. This secure, on-campus facility will allow them to train locally in a controlled, credentialed-access environment, helping to improve response times and public safety throughout the county.

The indoor firing range is designed with advanced soundproofing measures, including insulated construction, internal sound buffers, and specialized acoustic materials. Between the extensive sound reducing measures we are taking and the existing ambient noise from nearby I-485, we do not anticipate any noticeable noise disrupting campus life.

Only authorized, credentialed public safety trainees, including law enforcement officers, fire and rescue personnel, and certified instructors, will have access. The facility will be strictly supervised with controlled scheduling, oversight, and access. It is not open to the public or students outside of approved public safety programs.

We have made very intentional efforts to separate training activities from the existing academic environment. The indoor range and broader training facility are physically and operationally distinct from general student buildings. Training activities will be scheduled and managed to avoid interruptions, and ongoing monitoring will ensure the environment remains professional, calm, and focused on student success.

This initiative improves public safety for residents by: 

• better coordination between fire, EMS, and law enforcement, improving response to large-scale emergencies
• having highly trained emergency response professionals in our community and keeping training local to avoid emergency response personnel having to travel and be located several hours away during a local crisis
• more community engagement opportunities: potential opportunities include CPR training, teen driver safety courses, and ROTC partnership programs 

During routine training and programming, the facility itself will be operated as a controlled environment with several layers of security, and you will need credentials to enter.

We are still in the early phases of the project but are exploring options to offer specific community-focused events for public safety training. These may include:

• community CPR and first aid classes
• teen driver safety programs
• public safety awareness events

The total current project budget is $118 million, primarily funded by Mecklenburg County and private donors, including a land donation from Hendrick Automotive Group.

This figure is subject to change as the project progresses.

The initiative aims to: 

• adapt to evolving public safety challenges
• incorporate new training methods and technologies
• expand public engagement programs
• continue fostering collaboration between agencies and the community

Visit the Public Safety Career Field page to apply or request more information. You can also contact Central Piedmont Navigators.

Yes. The program welcomes partnerships and sponsorships to support training, scholarships, and community outreach programs.