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Returning to Normalcy: The Role of the E.O.C.

NCJ Number
123863
Journal
Law and Order Volume: 38 Issue: 5 Dated: (May 1990) Pages: 33-34
Author(s)
D Lushewitz
Date Published
1990
Length
2 pages
Annotation
This article describes the goals, structure, and operations of an Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
Abstract
An EOC is required in the event of a massive, disruptive community problem, such as a hurricane, tornado, earthquake, or any man-made situation requiring extensive resources from a variety of community agencies. Like a command post, an EOC centralizes decisionmaking, but unlike a command post it includes executive heads of government, heads of service units (police, fire, public works, etc.), and members of utilities and other public/private resources. EOC goals are information and intelligence gathering and analysis, centralized allocation of resources, and planning for long-term support for personnel and the public. Organizationally, EOC's are usually combinations of three areas of responsibility: the police group, the analysis group, and the operations group. The police group, consisting of the community's chief executive and advisers, is concerned with the overall basic action plans, resource-allocation decisions, personnel commitments, and spending. The analysis group is responsible for the collection and analysis of information. The operations group implements emergency operations (police, fire, public works, etc.). The article also discusses EOC site selection and layout.