Community Prep: Emergency Operating Centers

Today’s roll-out of the grant application guidance for building or renovating emergency operating centers (EOC) around the country was personally satisfying for me. I know that EOCs are an integral part of disaster preparedness and response. A well-equipped EOC with a trained staff provides the coordination and communication needed to knit resources together during a disaster.

Last year, $14.6 million was made available by appropriators for 22 EOCs in 19 states and the District of Columbia. And this year, we had a breakthrough. Congress appropriated approximately $34 million for the EOC grant program, enough to build or renovate more than 40 EOCs around the country.

Over the past two years, FEMA has found that, to do our job really well, we have to rely on tribal, state and local, public and private partnerships. The better prepared those partners are, the better our response will be.

Thanks to the EOC grants, a lot of places in the country are going to be better prepared to deal with disasters in their communities.

R. David Paulison
Administrator, FEMA