Mobile County has a new 31,000-square-foot Emergency Operations Center designed by TAG/The Architects Group, Inc. to meet the needs of the Mobile County Emergency Management Agency.

“The organizing force of the facility is the need to provide a centralized space for the coordination of the Mobile County’s municipalities and agencies during emergency conditions,” says Brad Davis, TAG project manager, who designed the facility along with Ronnie Taylor, TAG’s president and principal. “All of the building’s functions and systems are arranged to support this mission.” Construction of the facility was led by Wharton-Smith, Inc.

The Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, provides the central space with municipality and agency representatives configured into work groups to enhance discussion and communication. Audio-visual systems such as a video wall, video monitors and microphones are deployed to assist each of the work groups as well as directing and coordinating the overall operations. Decisions developed by the EOC are communicated by phone and radio to direct first responders and other field operations.

Seventy-eight work stations are in the new center, along with a storm shelter and safe rooms for tornados and hurricanes. The conference room is arranged for video conferencing to coordinate operations with state and federal agencies.

Break-out rooms provide flexible spaces for sub-groups to resolve problems as the need arises. The dormitories provide sleeping bunks so that emergency operations can continue around the clock. Additionally, the building envelope and mechanical yards are designed to meet FEMA-361 standards for hurricane and tornado storm conditions, thereby ensuring continuity of operations of the building and utility systems.

Image 1 – The new Emergency Operations Center, as seen in this rendering, features state-of-the-art communications and audio-visual equipment to coordinate and respond to emergency events. Audio-visual systems such as a video wall, video monitors and microphones are deployed to assist each of the work groups, and direct and coordinate overall operations.

Image 2 -TAG/The Architects Group, Inc. in Mobile has designed the new Emergency Operation Center for Mobile County. All of the building’s functions and systems are arranged to provide a centralized space for the coordination of the Mobile County’s municipalities and agencies during emergency conditions.

*Article Written By Jessica Armstrong and Images Courtesy of TAG/The Architects Group and Wharton-Smith Inc.