The OAK Group, Inc., L. Robert Kimball & Associates, and Henderson, Inc. Selected to Help Design and Build U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Training Facility

PITTSBURGH, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- A multifaceted architecture, engineering and contracting team composed of The OAK Group, Inc. of Camden, N.J.; L. Robert Kimball & Associates (Kimball) of Ebensburg, Pa.; and Henderson, Inc. of Williamsburg, Va. has been selected by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Defense to design and build a $22.8 million U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Training Facility in Elizabeth City, N.C.  

The OAK Group, Inc. assembled the combined team, will provide construction services, and will manage the U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Training Facility construction project.  Kimball will oversee the design, architecture and building-engineering for the facility, while Henderson, Inc. will support the facility with day-to-day contracting and subcontractor management activities.  

"The complexity of this project – building an aquatic facility capable of replicating weather conditions such as waves, fog and even lightning – is very exciting to us. Additionally, there is tremendous satisfaction in knowing that the facility we are creating will prepare these incredibly brave rescue swimmers and Coast Guard air crews for the dangerous tasks they are asked to perform," said The OAK Group's president, Eduard Eichen, CIH.

Expected to be complete in 2012, this facility will train U.S. Coast Guard members to effectively perform search-and-rescue operations using infrastructure designed to simulate real-world rescue conditions, including high waves, heavy lightning, night conditions and more.  The complex also will include a METS facility featuring a mock helicopter cockpit, from which U.S. Coast Guard members will be trained to eject while submerged in a large pool of water and forced to exit.  Kimball Vice President of Commercial and Federal Architecture George Halkias, AIA, LEED AP, says the Kimball team looks forward to leveraging its experience with large-scale infrastructure and Armed Forces projects to help build the one-of-a-kind facility.  

"Kimball is honored to have been selected as part of a very specialized group to bring this highly important, unprecedented U.S. Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Training Facility to fruition," said Halkias.  "Real-world search-and-rescue training requires real-world infrastructure to support it, and we're glad to apply our expertise to ensure members of the U.S. Coast Guard have the facility that they need to maximize the value of their training."

Following three years of project planning by the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Defense, the OAK Group-Kimball-Henderson team's combined vision for the facility most closely matched those plans among a field of over 20 organizations that submitted proposals.  

Henderson Vice President of Federal Operations, James Neilson, DBIA, understands the significance of the Rescue Swimmer Training Facility as it relates to the mission of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. "Henderson appreciates this unique opportunity to support the United States Coast Guard in its pursuit of maritime safety, security and national defense by utilizing our ability to successfully plan, execute and delivery quality and timely construction," said Neilson.  

About The OAK Group

The OAK Group, Inc. of Camden, N.J. has been providing a host of infrastructure support services, including environmental consulting, general construction, demolition and information technology (IT) services for its clients for more than 22 years.  The OAK Group's clients include several Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 firms, multiple federal agencies, and institutional clients such as hospitals and universities.  The OAK Group's Armed Forces client base includes the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Army Soldier Systems Command, Navy Facilities Command and GSA, as well as several military-base locations.  For more, visit www.oakgroup.net.

About L. Robert Kimball & Associates

Established in 1953, L. Robert Kimball & Associates is among the nation's leading professional service companies offering its clients architectural and engineering design services, civil, environmental and transportation engineering expertise, public safety consulting and communications technology solutions. Kimball is committed to offering its diverse public and private-sector clients a tailored approach designed to meet their needs and budget. Headquartered in Ebensburg, Pa., the company has 12 locations in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Texas, Florida, and Virginia.  For more, visit www.kimballcorp.com.

About Henderson, Inc.

Henderson, Inc. is a Class A, bonded contractor offering over 50 years of experience. Our site and construction operations are centrally located in Williamsburg, Virginia with more than 100 employees. We have been building in the south eastern region of Virginia since 1957 and concentrate on general contracting, construction management, site development, and design/build. Experience in the public, private, and government arenas fortifies our ability to perform in a variety of contract capacities and work to our customer's specific expectations. We come highly recommended by many of our clients and work diligently to honor our commitments to integrity, quality, leadership, relationships, and our people.

SOURCE L. Robert Kimball & Associates