SOUTH TALLAHASSEE, FL — Florida's new State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee is now open, helping the state stay ready for hurricanes, wildfires, and more.
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Florida cut the ribbon on a new State Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee Tuesday.
State officials say the facility represents a major upgrade in how the state prepares for and responds to major disasters.
Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said the center will serve as a command hub when emergencies strike.
"When hurricanes approach, when wildfires ignite, when any emergency threatens our communities, this facility will ensure we remain fully operational, coordinated, and ready to lead," Guthrie said.
Guthrie said work at the center will be crucial during hurricane seasons. Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue said the center will also be activated for a wide range of other emergencies throughout the year.
"We have other natural disasters and other emergencies we respond to throughout the year. We have a lot of agricultural communities, a lot of farms, and that cold weather negatively impacts them. And it takes a coordinated unified response at the state level to support those communities through those times of emergencies," Perdue said.
The new building includes several upgrades compared to its predecessor. Florida Department of Management Services Secretary Tom Berger outlined the improvements.
"For the first time, we have a space and technology to bring everyone under one roof. We've expanded the capacity to house all 20 emergency support functions, expanded bunk rooms, and dedicated medical space to care for our responders while they're working, modernized kitchen and dining facilities to sustain hundreds of responders, redundant systems for power and HVAC that ensure this building stays operational," Berger said.
State leaders say the facility will lead to faster coordination, stronger communication, and a more prepared Florida.
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