Lakeville’s FiRST Center opens
Project will advance regional public safety training
The First Responder Skills Training (FiRST) Center in Lakeville, Minnesota is celebrating it’s grand opening, strengthening emergency preparedness in Lakeville and the surrounding region.
The 43,300 SF facility provides a dedicated environment where first responders can develop critical skills, train collaboratively, and prepare for real-world emergencies. Located on a redeveloped 14-acre brownfield site, the center represents a significant investment in regional resilience and public safety infrastructure.
Designed by LEO A DALY, the FiRST Center combines immersive, reality-based training environments with advanced technology to support a wide range of instructional approaches and emergency response scenarios. Flexible tactical training spaces allow agencies to conduct realistic fire, police, and EMS exercises, while specialized areas support skills development, de-escalation training, defensive tactics, and collaborative learning.
Key features include a two-story, reality-based training environment with adaptable wall systems that can simulate residential and commercial settings, virtual reality training capabilities, and classrooms accommodating up to 114 participants. The facility also features a 12-lane, 50-yard tactical range with a drive-in bay for vehicle-based training scenarios, as well as a six-lane, 25-yard adjustable target range for qualification and skills development.
The center was designed to provide the flexibility needed to support changing training requirements and emerging public safety challenges. By bringing multiple disciplines together under one roof, the FiRST Center promotes coordination, communication, and preparedness among the agencies that serve communities throughout the region.
LEO A DALY provided master planning, programming, architecture, interior design, engineering and construction administration for this project.
Read more about LEO A DALY’s expertise in first responder training facilities: Public Safety Market Sector Todd LaVold’s article Enhanced Training Through Facility Design appeared in IACP’s Police Chief Online in July.
