Burlington County is planning an upgrade to its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to help state, county and local emergency management officials and first responders during all varieties of disasters and emergencies.
The county is being aided with the improvement project by a $637,195 federal grant awarded to the county as part of a FY 2024 government funding package. The grant will be used to update technology, software and communications equipment in the center, including the addition of a new information wall consisting of interactive monitors to display maps, video conferences and other data in real-time to assist with planning, response and information gathering.
The county also plans to upgrade the center’s servers so computer workstations, video screens and telecommunications equipment can continue to operate if other infrastructure fails.
The EOC is the main coordination point for all significant disasters and emergencies in the county, including extreme weather, natural disasters, large-scale health emergencies, terror attacks and other incidents. The center has workstations, communications and meeting space for emergency management coordinators and representatives from state, county, local and federal agencies, plus medical service, utilities and other County departments active during emergencies.
The planned upgrade will be the first significant renovation to the EOC since its construction in the early 2000s. County officials said the improvements will allow state, county and local officials to better plan and respond during an emergency. The upgrades will also allow it to serve as a regional command site or hub during a major incident.