Another storm season is here, and that means emergency crews need state-of-the-art operations centers to manage whatever comes. Florida engineer continuing education supplements training and experience with planning requirements that cover the layout and construction of briefing rooms, conference rooms, kitchens and dining areas as well as technology that keeps emergency responders and the public informed.

Here’s what you can expect from Edcetera’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Planning and Design course.

Why an EOC Matters to the State and Community

During an emergency, such as a hurricane, another natural disaster or any serious threat, authorities need a safe, unified and well-equipped location for management and emergency response decisions that affect the public. Emergency response centers at the state, regional and local level become a dependable hub for information and may be a renovated portion of another building or a standalone facility.

Emergency Operations Center Planning and Design covers general planning requirements for an EOC. This includes the physical layout of the facility as well as construction requirements required to keep authorities and other workers safe and supplied while managing a biological hazard, terrorist attack, natural disaster or any public health and safety threat.

What’s Included in the Course?

This continuing education course provides 5 professional development or continuing education hours. It’s based on the United Facilities Criteria, U.S. Department of Defense. In it, you’ll find these and other chapters for study:

• General Planning Requirements
• Physical Layout
• Physical Construction Requirements
• Information Management/Technology Systems

The general planning requirements section covers planning process, dimensions of an emergency operations center, dual use of the facility for other purposes, facility location, security, mobile commands and more. Physical layout includes materials on accessibility, security and transportation; internal operations design; support staff areas; and ergonomics.

Chapter 5 relates to the physical construction of an EOC, such as building shell, interiors, mechanical and electrical systems, water and plumbing, communications, electronic security and entrance control. In chapter 6, you’ll learn about communications and telecommunications systems, visual displays, video routing and computing.

What are the Learning Objectives?

Once you’ve completed and passed this continuing education course you should have the following knowledge and proficiencies:

• How an emergency operations center is utilized
• The general requirements for an emergency operations center
• The typical EOC layouts and construction requirements

The course training materials, developed by the DOD, aren’t intended to be the standard for all EOC construction or for use of the facility after it’s built. They only represent a unified approach to the planning and design of Emergency Operation Centers (EOCs). Ultimately, the commanders, security teams, designers, planners, engineers, and architects should work together using the resource materials as a guide.

For Florida residents, disaster preparedness and emergency response is a way of life. Florida engineers who are involved in the planning and design of an EOC can rely on their education, industry experience and this professional development or continuing education course for a more well-rounded approach to building a state, regional or local hub dedicated to protecting the community.

For this and many other Florida engineer continuing education courses, check out what Edcetera has to offer.