This joint-use facility was designed to accommodate the communications section of the office of the sheriff and the county department of emergency management. The structure consists of approximately 18,000-SF and is designed to withstand “near absolute” forces capable of withstanding the forces of a Category 5 storm event.
The EOC portion of the facility contains an incident command center with associated break-out rooms, food service facilities, dormitories, and offices / conference areas for elected officials, all programmed and designed to comply with newly adopted federal and state protocols.
This facility was co-sited with the county communications center. This trend of co-siting governmental entities that are “first responders” into a singular secure and survivable facility has rapidly gained recognition and acceptance. This strategy ensures that valuable governmental resources are fully capable of continued operational capability and protecting valuable governmental resources. Located in an area of South-Central Florida adjacent to Lake Okeechobee that has been subject to several hurricane storm events, the facility was programmed to be capable of withstanding 200-mile-per-hour forces. The premise being, that the emergency response to natural or man-made events, must be accommodated in facilities which are fully capable of withstanding dynamic forces.
