Calamityville designed to be a disaster

FAIRBORN, Ohio (WDTN) - Work is underway on a project that's being called a disaster theme park. Local officials unveiled a sign Monday for the National Center for Medical Readiness Tactical Laboratory -- better known as "Calamityville."

The state-of-the-art facility in Greene County will be used to provide a one-of-a-kind training experience to help medical, public health, public safety, civilian and military disaster responders more effectively work together in emergency and rescue situations.

"You hear a lot about first responders but you don't hear quite as much about first providers, explained Calamityville director, Dr. Glenn Hamilton. "Care givers at the scene and in transit -- you hear even less about first receivers. What happens after an event at the hospital."

The center will be part of the Wright State University School of Medicine and is being built on 55-acres of what used to be a cement plant.

Officials said that along with the valuable training it will provide, Calamityville will generate an estimated economic impact of $374 million and could create more than 375 lab and construction jobs.

Calamityville is expected to be up and running in 2010.