Harris County commissioners OK $7M high water rescue training facility

On April 4, Harris County commissioners unanimously initiated the design and construction of a $7 million high water rescue training facility to be funded by the county’s $100 million public safety bond approved by voters in 2022.

The gist: The 9,500-square-foot facility will be used to train emergency personnel for high water rescue situations, said Sean Williams, program manager of the Harris County Sheriff's Office's Flood Rescue Group.

• An estimated 1,600 emergency personnel annually would be trained at the space, which will be dubbed the HCSO Swift Water Training Facility.

What they’re saying: “With the calls of service over the last eight years, we've seen a high response rate for high water rescues,” Williams said. “It doesn't take a hurricane or tropical storm to produce [a high water] environment.”

Dig deeper: According to the Harris County Engineering Department, the Swift Water Training Facility will:

• Take about 36 months to build;
• Include about 7,200 square feet for the training area and 2,500 square feet for classrooms, facility equipment and locker rooms;
• Have a five-year return on investment; and
• Be located at the intersection of TC Jester Boulevard and Hugh Road in Houston.

Quote of note: “I think it'll help save lives and in the long run, save money and hopefully we can be training people from around the country at this facility as well,” Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones said.

What’s next: The design for the facility still needs to be finalized, according to the county’s engineering department.