Bucks County to expand Emergency Operations Center in Ivyland
The summer of 2021, when Bucks County suffered through tornadoes, flooding and the lasting effects of the pandemic, highlighted the need for upgrades to the county Emergency Operations Center in Ivyland.
Officials broke ground Thursday on a 1,000 square-foot addition to the center costing $1.8 million, which will be paid for with funds from the county's $122 million federeal American Rescue Plan allocation and a grant from the Department of Homeland Security.
"It became clear to all three commissioners early in the pandemic, when this building was ground zero for not just the disaster response, but also for a lot of our public messaging, that this facility badly needed some upgrades. Last summer's flooding, tornadoes and hurricane only underscored that need," said Commissioner Chairman Bob Harvie.
Commissioner Diane Ellis-Marseglia said that if anything good came out of the pandemic, it's that the county now can enlarge its emergency center which employs 157 people in its 9-11 Dispatch Center and another 35 people who deal directly with emergency situations, whether they work on coordinating the county's pandemic vaccine clinics or operate the county's response vans used in critical emergencies. She said the weather last summer pointed to the increase in climate change issues, adding to the county's emergency response needs.
"When activated, the EOC serves as the county's emergency response nerve center during response and recovery from disasters — both natural and manmade — that require the mobilization and coordination of multiple emergency services, government and nonprofit agencies," said county spokesman Jim O'Malley.
The enlarged facility on Freedom Lane near the Ann's Choice retirement community will have triple the available meeting spaces and updated technology to allow several teams working on different aspects of a disaster to meet at the same time and with outside agencies, O'Malley said. A press briefing room will also be added.
Emergency Services Director Audrey Kenny said, "I'm so excited about it — absolutely," when asked about the expanded center. She said the work will also include renovations to portions of the existing building to remodel the bathrooms and add an entrance.
She said the county is always looking to add to its contingent of emergency dispatchers and is holding three training classes this year for new hires.
The emergency center also is working with the Bucks County Department of Health to continue providing COVID vaccines at its distribution centers at Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem and at the Warwick Square shopping center on York Road in Jamison. The centers are now offering vaccines to young children, starting at age six months, for whom the shots are now available, as well as booster shots for older children and adults.
Kenny pointed out that the EOC isn't just used by county employees but as a command center for PECO and other utility crews, the Red Cross and other outside agencies when a disaster strikes.
Construction is expected to last 8 to 10 months.
The county has contracted with Magnum Inc. of Warminster as the general contractor. Holstein White Inc. of Feasterville will serve as engineer. Other firms contracted for the project include Matthew V. Piotrowski Architect, Warminster; Palman Electric Inc., Huntingdon Valley; and Hirschberg Mechanical for mechanical and plumbing issues and Guy M. Cooper Inc. for fire protection, both from Willow Grove.
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This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Bucks County to expand its Emergency Operations Center in Ivyland
