PBEM Emergency Operations Center (EOC)
| Portland Emergency Operations Center | |
| Location: | 9911 SE Bush St. |
| Construction: | June 2012 - January 2014 |
| Administered by: | Portland Bureau of Emergency Management |
| Square footage: | 28,540 |
| Current primary usage: | Emergency operations center for the City of Portland, PBEM and RDPO offices. |
The City of Portland Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is the centralized physical location from where the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management (PBEM) coordinates major emergency response and recovery activities. The building that the EOC is located in includes offices for PBEM, RDPO, and the Water Bureau. Until 2024 it was called the Emergency Coordination Center (ECC).
Background
The City of Portland first recognized the need for an Emergency Operations Center in 2007 as an outcome of the TOPOFF 4 exercise. In an attachment to later funding legislation for the EOC, Commissioner Randy Leonard's office stated:
Concern has grown in recent years that the current ERC is inadequate because of its small size, split-level design, and lack of modern equipment. In addition, concern has been raised about the vulnerability of the existing Water Bureau Emergency Operations Center. The current facilities, which house both emergency management and water bureau security staff, are unreinforced modular structures located in a potential landslide hazard area.
The "current ERC" referred to in that statement was a training classroom room at BOEC. It would take hours to clear out and turn over any time PBEM activated the EOC.[1] Meanwhile, PBEM routinely operated from offices located downtown in the Congress Center; a location not ideal for coordinating response and recovery from a major earthquake.
In fiscal year 2008 - 2009, Portland City Council set aside $6 million for the construction of (what they called at the time) an Emergency Response Center (ERC) next to BOEC headquarters. Another $4 million was provided by narrow voter approval of Ballot Measure 26-117, called the Public Safety General Obligation (GO) Bond. The bond was sent to voters on July 15, 2010 via City Council Resolution #36800. After the bond passed, City Council approved the fund allocation on December 1, 2010.
Construction
Total planning and construction cost came to approximately $19.8 million. MWA Architects was awarded the design contract. On March 21, 2012 City Council approved Emerick Construction Co.'s bid to build. Emerick broke ground during a ceremony on June 1, 2012.[2] Construction included four major projects: the new EOC building, a new parking lot, rerouting a nearby road, and constructing a 150-foot radio tower on site. The EOC was completed and operational by January 2014, with a dedication ceremony taking place on January 30, 2014.
References
- ↑ Pittman, E. (2021, March 27). Portland’s preparedness is amplified by new coordination Center. GovTech. https://www.govtech.com/recovery/portland-emergency-coordination-center.html
- ↑ New citywide ‘emergency coordination center’ comes to Powellhurst-Gilbert « East PDX News. (n.d.). https://eastpdxnews.com/general-news-features/new-citywide-emergency-coordination-center-comes-to-powellhurst-gilbert/
