St. Joseph College was purchased by FEMA in 1979 to serve as a training facility. Prior to its official closing in 1973, the college served as a 4 year liberal arts college for women. In 1981, the facility was entered into the Federal records as the National Emergency Training Center (NETC). The NETC houses the Emergency Management Institute (EMI) and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) (which includes the National Fire Academy [NFA]). The following is a brief description of the buildings at NETC.
| Building A — A 3 story residence hall built in 1964 and renovated in 1996. It has 93 dormitory rooms. (I) |
Building B — Student Center, built in 1956, the location of a game room, pub, and recreational activities. A large picture window overlooks the scenic Catoctin Mountain range. (F) |
| Building C — Built in 1956 and renovated in 1995, it has 213 dormitory rooms. (F) |
Building D — Built in 1926 and renovated in 1965 and 1995, it is a 3 story brick structure that has the charm of the old architecture. It consists of NETC Procurement offices, 45 dormitory rooms, and a convenience shop in the basement. (F) |
| Building E — Built in 1926 and renovated in 1966 and 1993, it is occupied by EMI Distance Learning offices, NETC Budget offices, and Computer Support personnel. (F) |
Building F — Built in 1925 and renovated in 1965 and 1995, it houses EMI Integrated Emergency Management offices and has 45 dormitory rooms. (F) |
| Building G — Built in 1948, and renovated in 1984 and 2001 to accommodate staff of the National Fire Data Center and National Fire Programs Divisions. (G) |
Building H — Built in 1923 and renovated in 1993, it houses NFA offices, a fully equipped gymnasium, weight room, and an indoor swimming pool. (F) |
| Building I — Built in 1996, it serves as the Material Receipt and Distribution Center, Maintenance Facility offices, Support Services Division offices, and the USFA Publications Center. (F) |
Building J — Built in 1966, and renovated in 1993, it is the NFA classroom facility and houses NFA and National Fire Programs Division staff. It includes a lobby and a tiered 249 seat auditorium. (F) |
| Building K — Built circa 1870, renovated in 1982 and 1993, it houses EMI classrooms. The 3 story brick structure also contains a Dining Hall capable of seating 500 people, EMI Independent Study offices, and support offices. (F) |
Building L — Built in 1959, renovated in 1993, it consists of dormitory rooms and an EMI classroom. (F) |
| Building M — Built in 1965, renovated in 1989, it houses two EMI classrooms and the EMI Computer Lab. (F) |
Building N — Designed by the English-born architect, E.G. Lind (1829–1909), it was built in 1870 and renovated in 1987 and 1992. The building is an example of Second Empire Style that was popular in the second half of the 19th Century. As such, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Buildings. It houses staff of the United States Fire Administrator’s office, the Learning Resource Center, and EMI. (F) |
| Building O — Erected in 1839 as a chapel. The marble, alabaster altars, and stained glass windows were retained when it was renovated in 1965. It houses the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, and support offices are in the basement. (I) |
Building P — The Log Cabin serves as a recreational facility overlooking peaceful Tom’s Creek. (F) |
| Building Q — The brick barn is a service facility. The ornamental brick grill windows are characteristic of the early 19th Century Western Maryland construction. (F) |
Building R — Built in 1948, renovated in 1993, located behind Building G, it serves as the USFA Fire Protection Laboratory. (F) |
| Building S — Renovated in 2001, this building is the home of EMI and NFA Simulation Laboratories. (F) |
Building T — The old Milk House of the original St. Joseph’s campus. |
| Building U — A burn building complex used by the NFA for arson investigation and demonstration. (F) |
Building V — Built in 1992, it houses the Security Office. (F) |
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| Accessibility: F-Fully Accessible; I-Accessible 1st floor only; N-Not accessible; G-Ground Floor Accessible only; R-Restrooms not accessible |
