We offer training in:
- Law Enforcement
- Firefighter, Wildland, Urban Interface
NATC is the base for the Northeastern Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy (NALETA) and the NPC Fire Science Academy Center features include a 10-acre defensive driving course, shooting range, 6-story burn tower, flash chamber, roof ventilation simulator, and numerous props for confined space training.
Northland Pioneer College controls and operates the NATC facility with assistance from Northeast Arizona Fire Chiefs Association, Northeast Arizona Police Association, Town of Taylor, Navajo County, U.S. Forest Service, Arizona Public Service, and the Salt River Project.
NATC History
Located in Taylor, Arizona, the Northeast Arizona Training Center (NATC) concept began as a partnership between the members of the Northeastern Arizona Fire Chief’s Association and Abitibi Consolidated Inc., both interested in providing a training center within the region to promote and improve firefighting skills. Below is a brief timeline highlighting key events of NATC formation.
- 2001 - Northeast Arizona Fire Chief’s Association (NAFCA) and Abitibi Consolidated joined in a joint partnership to build a regional fire training facility.
- 2003 - The concept expanded to a regional training facility for emergency management professionals. The partnership included Northland Pioneer College (NPC) along with NAFCA and their associate members, law enforcement agencies of Apache and Navajo Counties, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Abitibi Consolidated, Town of Taylor, Arizona Public Service, and the US Forest Service.
- 2004 - Northeast Arizona Training Center formally organized as an Arizona Non-Profit Tax-Exempt Corporation with interim by-laws. Construction of the facility begins.
- Northland Pioneer College's District Governing Board (DGB) enters into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to become a member of NATC.
- In September, NPC's District Governing Board enters into an MOU with NATC to provide $300,000 for the construction of the Burn Tower at the proposed training facility. NPC also made a commitment to be the educational provider of the facility.
- 2005 - The Town of Taylor secures a $500,000 GADA loan with proceeds used to construct the NATC training facility. The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) provides funding to create a driving track in partnership with Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) who also makes a cash contribution.
- 2006 - By-laws formalized with NPC as the official education provider.
- 2007 - The Arizona State Legislature appropriates $1 million dollars to NPC to use for the construction of a public safety and emergency services training facility. All expenditures of the appropriation are managed and approved by NPC's District Governing Board.
- 2008 - The Arizona State Legislature appropriates an additional $500,000 to NPC to be used for the construction of a public safety and emergency services training facility. All expenditures of the appropriation are managed and approved by NPC's District Governing Board.
- September 2012 - NATC alters the By-Laws of the organization in order to reach compliance with Arizona State General Session Law after committing to full financial responsibility for the repayment of principal and interest of the Town of Taylor GADA loan. The NATC Board now consists of three voting members, all appointed by NPC's DGB. The Navajo County, Town of Taylor, NAFCA, and the Northeast Arizona Police Association (NAPA) roles all shift to non-voting Advisory Council members.
- November 2014 - All members of the NATC Advisory Council submitted a letter to the NPC DGB requesting that the “ownership and autonomous operations of the facility be transferred permanently to Northland Pioneer College.” The Town of Taylor requests that the GADA loan be paid in full by NPC.
- June 2015 - Northland Pioneer College pays in full the GADA Loan and the NPC District Governing Board votes to take over operational control of NATC.
- 2019 - NPC with the help of our partnering agencies obtained 1 million dollars in funding for capital improvements to NATC. The NATC Board moves to develop a Master Plan for future development and improvements to the facilities and grounds.
