PRESQUE ISLE – The announcement was made just two weeks ago and in-depth construction still is in its infancy, but Northern Maine Community College already is creating a solid foundation for what will eventually become the college’s new allied health simulation center.

A second Maine-based foundation has donated significant grant funding to support the establishment of the simulation center.

Officials at the Presque Isle college announced Friday that The Davis Family Foundation, a public charitable foundation established by Phyllis C. Davis and H. Halsey Davis of Falmouth, had contributed $50,000 to support the establishment and operation of the simulation center.

The news was announced just two weeks after officials with the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation committed $100,000 to get the project off the ground.

The simulation center will be created by renovating existing space in the nursing wing of the A.K. Christie Building.

In concert with instruction space, the center also will house some unique state-of-the art technology – human patient simulators.

A human patient simulator is a computer-model-driven mannequin. The models simulate such things as vital signs and mirror human responses to such procedures as CPR and intubation.

Instructors can program the model to simulate medical emergencies such as heart attacks, drug interactions and collapsed lungs for their students. Not only does the simulator allow students to gain experience in treating patients with these conditions, it also allows them to do it without risking harm to a patient.

The college plans to purchase one pediatric and one adult human patient simulator. While students are working on the simulators at NMCC, others in the simulation center will be able to observe the situation and learn from the experience.

NMCC officials believe the simulators and simulation center will benefit nursing students, those studying emergency medical services and other students enrolled in allied health related programs. The simulators also will be made available to other health care providers so they can learn new techniques or practice old ones.

The Davis Family Foundation supports educational, medical and cultural and arts organizations located primarily in Maine.

The latest foundation grant will go to NMCC’s “Campaign for the County’s College” and will support the first year’s project coordination, technical support and other tasks.

Tim Crowley, president of NMCC, said in a written statement that the college was “most appreciative to the Davis Family Foundation for this most generous contribution.”

“This commitment will provide the margin of excellence for ensuring the center most effectively meets the needs of our faculty and students as well as our partner health care organizations throughout Aroostook County that will utilize the facility to assist in the development of their current work force,” he said.

Officials expect the new simulation center to be operating in less than a year.