CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — College of DuPage is one of only a few educational institutes nationwide to receive a relic from the World Trade Center’s twin towers.
A thousand-pound steel beam from the destroyed trade center complex currently sits in the college’s Homeland Security Education Center, serving as a reminder of the sacrifice that was made by first responders on Sept. 11.
“We just want it to be a memorial to those who gave on 9/11 and to help us remember what we're here to do,” College of DuPage President Dr. Brian Caputo said.
Although COD had been training first responders prior to the September 11 attacks, Caputo told WBBM Newsradio the tragedy was a catalyst for expanding the Homeland Security Training program.
“We've invested a lot in our facilities and a lot into our educational processes to give that quality training,” Caputo said.
The Homeland Security Training Institute features courses in disaster preparedness, counterterrorism, intelligence, emergency response, NIMS/NRF/ICS, and private sector security.
“We have an immersive indoor street scene, which is really very good for force-on-force exercises. We have forensics and crime labs on campus. We also have a VirTra V-300 simulator that provides vast opportunities for creating real-world scenarios,” Caputo said.
Caputo said the multi-million dollar investment into the HSTI has made the college one of the top destinations for first responder training.
To mark the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, College of DuPage will be hosting a commemorative ceremony at the Homeland Security Education Center on Saturday at 7:30 a.m.
It will also be live streamed on the college’s Facebook page.
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