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The Future of EOCs Post-COVID-19

Six shifts to consider for your EOC.

It is rare to find an article like this in our popular literature: “The Future of Emergency Operation Centers: Six Shifts to Consider from COVID-19.”

Some may look at the six items and think, these are way beyond the functioning of my small city or rural county. However, think instead about how you can take the principles espoused in the six and apply them to your own situation. For instance, developing a Red Team like the one recommended is likely way beyond your capabilities when you are just struggling to find people to staff the EOC 24/7.

I have been saying for a long time that data is our friend and we need to harness the power of data. That is something all of us can work on, no matter how large or small we are. It is an information management challenge for the 21st century.

I’ll suggest that there is a company to help you take the systems you already own and apply it better to accomplish what needs to be done. Check out Bent Ear Solutions. I’m advocating that, for instance, you take a look at Microsoft Teams, should your jurisdiction already use it, and replace WebEOC with a system more people are familiar with and one you can tailor to your specific needs.

And yes, Bent Ear Solutions is a sponsor of my Disaster Zone podcast.
Eric Holdeman is a nationally known emergency manager. He has worked in emergency management at the federal, state and local government levels. Today he serves as the Director, Center for Regional Disaster Resilience (CRDR), which is part of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region (PNWER). The focus for his work there is engaging the public and private sectors to work collaboratively on issues of common interest, regionally and cross jurisdictionally.