Lessons from New Orleans

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Emergency Operations Centers

A well-designed emergency operations center (EOC) is critical to the success of any disaster response effort. Here are some tips on EOC design from Mike Shea, principal in charge of CODE (critical operations design and engineering) at Ross and Baruzzini, which has designed over 35 emergency management facilities for municipalities and critical infrastructure facilities nationwide.

Assess the site. Do a threat and vulnerability assessment before locating an EOC. Consider what’s adjacent to the site and look both for risks to avoid and services to access—for example, what’s the reliability of utilities serving the site? Ask yourself: How can you make sure that the facility will survive the worst-case scenario?

Build in redundancy. Whether you are talking about fuel supplies, electricity, or communications, you want to build in levels of redundancy. For example, you need at least three days of fuel, if not seven, on site. In addition, the facility should have a hookup for a diesel tank to pull up to the building, which could be used to keep generators running if stored fuel runs out before services return.

The site should have two generators. And as a triple redundancy, you could have provision for pad-mounted generators to be brought in and hooked up to the electrical system in case both generators fail. Similarly, there should be dual mechanical systems to keep building systems operational.

To ensure that communications do not fail, the EOC should have dual communication feeds, including dual Internet fiber connections that are not in the same trench. They should also enter the building in separate locations. Communications systems should come from separate central offices—two separate phone lines—and the electrical system should have redundant lines, preferably underground, that come from separate substations.

The site should also have a backup data center that is not nearby, as well as a mobile communications center unit. And it’s a good idea to include provisions for ham operators to work out of the EOC. “Many times they are the only guys who can get the word out,” says Shea.

Be self-sufficient. Be ready to go it alone. This is the mantra of all disaster-management experts and it applies most of all to the EOC. That means that in addition to the backups for utilities just discussed, the center should have on site adequate domestic water storage, ready-to-eat meals, and sleeping provisions that can accommodate operational staff for several days.

Consider comfort. EOCs have to house many people unaccustomed to working side by side—such as local, state, and federal officials; healthcare personnel; firefighters; and support functions—under highly stressed conditions with no break for days on end. In the past, EOC facilities were not designed with human comfort in mind. They had a bunker mentality and were sometimes literally built underground.

Today, centers are designed to create an environment that uses natural light and other features to reduce stress, helping those who have to work there to endure the demands of the job.