The new Kensington-based facility uses high-fidelity disaster simulations to strengthen EMS readiness for mass casualty and complex emergency responses

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Fire Department is launching a new EMS training facility called “Disaster University” as part of a proactive effort to strengthen safety and preparedness.

Disaster University will provide high-fidelity, immersive training for EMS providers, blending classroom instruction with hands-on, real-world scenarios, according to FOX 29. The facility will feature staged disaster scenes, including simulated car crashes and chemical hazards, designed to better prepare crews for complex emergencies.

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“In that situation, your traditional kind of deployment where you find one person and you take care of them completely no longer applies,” Fire Paramedic Captain William Murphy said. “You have to apply mass casualty and triage rules.”

The facility opened in the Kensington neighborhood in October after the fire department moved quickly to secure the space when a warehouse became available.

More than 400 EMS providers have already trained at Disaster University, which will expand to firefighters this spring and is also used by regional agencies, while not replacing academy training.

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