Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs)

When the management of an incident at the local level exceeds the resources and capabilities of the on-scene responders, and there are significant additional needs, an Emergency Operations Center (EOC) may be established. Rather than commanding on-scene activity, the EOC is established as a coordination function to support the on-scene responders. It is staffed with emergency management office personnel, chief elected officials, chiefs of police, fire, and EMS departments, the director of public works, communications personnel, and others.

The primary functions of the EOC are to:
  • Manage additional resource needs
  • Collect and distribute information
  • Evaluate and establish priorities
  • Provide administrative support
  • Create an environment for multi-jurisdiction and multi-agency coordination

The EOC will also support all field resources with policymakers and direction, short- and long-term planning, emergency expenditures, and legal and financial support. To provide this support, the EOC must interface with the field incident management structure.

The ICS also provides support to the EOC, by being the eyes and ears in the field. Working together in an organized effort, the successful management of the incident is the resulting benefit.