The more we know about how disasters affect our surroundings the better prepared we can be when a disaster strikes. That’s why Guardian Centers, a first of its kind facility in Georgia, has built a community that can recreate any disaster on a real life scale.
http://www.guardiancenters.com/facilities
Located on almost 800 acres, Guardian Centers is basically it’s own town, complete with homes, parking garages and mock hospitals all that can be flooded, collapsed or blown away while first responders train on the best ways to handle each situation. Up to 7,000 people can participate at a time in real life scenarios that could be anything from clearing tornado wreckage to simulating a bombing.
The idea to create a mock city for disaster training came from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and no detail has been spared. Homes, that are not only furnished but are complete with swing sets and fences, are enclosed in a basin that can be filled with 5.5 million gallons of water to model the 9th Ward of New Orleans, a neighborhood that was completely flooded after Katrina, here first responders can learn to operate small boats and practice the best ways to save a stranded family.
To learn more about the amazing work Guardian Centers is doing check out their website here and follow their updates on Twitter. To see how you can prepare for a disaster at home click here to read our tips about making your own emergency plan and as always if you find yourself in need of housing, CRS is here for you 24 hours a day.
