Island Emergency Operations Center design unveiled March 5
BY G.B. (BO) HAMRICK
PROJECT COORDINATOR
The Boca Grande Fire Department’s Emergency Communications and Interoperability Working Group has completed the new Island (standby) Emergency Operations Center design. The design was presented to and approved by Chief C.W. Blosser of the Boca Grande Fire Department on March 5th.
The new Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, is the bedrock of the island’s Auxiliary Emergency Radio Communications system, or AUXCOMM. Along with the systems’ three radio previously announced antennas and repeaters, it will provide a robust, highly capable and extremely redundant backup emergency communications system for Gasparilla Island. The system is thoughtfully designed to include the numerous hard lessons of Hurricanes Irma in 2017 and Ian in 2022.
As noted in previous releases, the AUXCOMM system is not a replacement for calling 911 in an emergency, if normal telecommunications conditions exist.
However, the new EOC, along with highly capable general issue handheld radios, provides a vast array of new capabilities to the island. It will enhance both normal daily operations; and especially major disaster recovery operations.
The system has been generously funded by donations from island organizations and individuals to this point, totaling $381,520. Building out the complete system will require a further $200,000 in donations. However, the return on investment for the island is very high.
Importantly, designing and building the AUXCOMM system entirely with private island funds brings it under the ownership & control of the Boca Grande Fire Department – the only public safety organization solely dedicated to Gasparilla Island since 1943.
Private funding has also greatly expedited the completion of the project. Without any reliance or the inherent delays often encountered with other governmental sources, which may or not be available.
Bearing in mind that we are now only three months from another likely active hurricane season, long lead time EOC equipment orders will commence immediately with reserve donations already in hand.
The proposal’s buildout timeline includes the mission critical objective of a hurricane readiness/mock hurricane exercise to be scheduled in the latter half of May after construction and sufficient volunteer training is completed.
The Fire Department and Island EOC Emergency Communications and Interoperability Working Group wish to humbly thank the Island Community for its unstinting, most generous support of this vital project.
Island EOC highlights and system overview
The standby Island Emergency Operations Center will have three levels of activation & operation. Normally it will not be fully manned, in a quasi-standby status. However, it will be regularly used for support of fire & EMS operations, marine search & rescue operations, and training. Including regular exercises with the new BGFD Volunteer Auxiliary, island organizations, and other public safety agencies. The highest level of activation; 24/7 with full manning; will be on the issue of a hurricane warning from the National Weather Service, prior to and as long as necessary after a hurricane.
Some points:
When completed, the Island EOC can also be manned on short notice for any other major event requiring sustained – and importantly, stand alone on island emergency command & control. The base design approach assumes complete failure of all critical infrastructure – cell service, land line telecommunications, internet, and reliable communications with off island dispatch centers and other support. As was experienced in both recent major hurricanes.
Sturdy, highly versatile, and weatherproof five watt output handheld radios – procured by the Fire Department for many island organizations’ staffs and volunteers – will be able to communicate with the new EOC. Using the FCC’s available General Mobile Radio Service frequencies. Programmed into them using a highly customized Island Band Plan. Specifically, many organizations now have their own channel. The change over to the new radios has been completed at the Bridge Authority and Boca Bay.
Extended radio transmission range is supported by the recently completed, triple redundant antenna & repeater AUXCOMM system. At the bridge, cell tower, and Boca Bay Power House. Which have very high wind rated antennas; with generators & backup batteries in hardened & elevated structures.
The radios will be used by participating AUXCOMM island entity staffs daily for routine purposes. Specifically, many organizations now have their own channel. These include the Island School, Bridge Authority, Boca Bay, and the Health Clinic. Among several others. While having the Fire Department’s new emergency channel programmed in for use during declared emergencies. Requiring only a simple change of channel for which training is being conducted. Channels for routine public use are also programmed into the radios.
The new EOC design also features greatly improved support of near offshore boating search & rescue operations. Using the BGFD designed Marine Emergency Response Team (M.E.R.T.) search grid system – which has been adopted by the Coast Guard and other area agencies. For the Fire Boat, along with several other agencies’ boats & helicopters.
The standby EOC will have ham radio capability with special “Winlink” equipment which allows radio transmissions to be converted to e-mail so that critical medical information in particular can be sent to distant off island doctors & pharmacies during a disaster. The standby EOC will also have High Frequency digital radio equipment allowing very long range transmissions. For example, to the state EOC in Tallahassee and many others in the region.
A customized island intranet will be built into the EOC functionality. Functioning like an island cloud in the event that the regular internet fails. Information sent over it will be displayed in the EOC. Assisting in emergency operations and recovery and available for organizations & citizens to use.
Dedicated displays for concentrating and monitoring real time information of many types are part of the design.
