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.
A brief timeline highlighting key events of NATC is presented below:
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 along with NAFCA and their associate members, law enforcement agencies of Apache and Navajo Counties, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Abitibi Consolidatd, 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 and construction of the facility begins.
2004- Northland Pioneer College by District Governing Board action enters into MOU to become a member of NATC.
September 2004- NPC by DGB action enters into an MOU with NATC to provide $300,000 for the construction of the burn tower at the proposed training facility. NPC made a commitment to be the educational provided of the facility.
2005- The Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board (AZPOST) provides funding to the driving track, NAVIT makes a cash contribution, and the Town of Taylor secures a $500,000 GADA loan with proceeds used to construct the NATC training facility.
2006- By-laws formalized with NPC as the education provider.
2007- The Arizona State Legislature appropriates $1 million dollars to NPC to be used for construction of a public safety and emergency services training facility. All expenditures of the appropriation are approved by the DGB.
2008- The Arizona State Legislature appropriates $500,000 to NPC to be used for the construction of a public safety and emergency services training facility. All expenditures of the appropriations are approved by the DGB.
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 repayment of principle and interest of the Town of Taylor GADA loan. The NATC Board consists of three voting members, all appointed by NPC DGB, Navajo COunty, Town of Taylor, NAFCA, and the Northeast Arizona Police Association (NAPA) roles shift to non-voting advisory council.
November 2014- All members of the NATC advisory council submit 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 Northland Pioneer College.
June 2015 – Northland Pioneer College pays in full the GADA loan as requested by the Town of Taylor.