Three years ago, the city established an emergency operations center inside Fire Station 101, west of Interstate 75. In an emergency, the center serves as a command post for firefighters, police officers, public works crews, building inspectors and other crucial employees -- all of whom are needed immediately.
Now, however, city officials want the capability of operating all remaining city departments after a catastrophe and until the city is back to normal.
"We want to offer all city services, not just ones related to four or five days after the event," Fire Marshal Dave Raines said. "We want people to be able to go to the playgrounds, get their grass cut, have water services or have their paycheck cut."
City departments such as finance, utilities, parks and recreation and human resources are assessing what equipment and materials they would need to run their services from the center.
"We want to know what it's going to take to make a seamless transition from the initial event to the continuation of long-term services," Raines said. "We are now determining what everyone needs, and then we will see what it's going to cost. We want to have what we need in place before the start of hurricane season."
Throughout the year, the operations center -- built to withstand a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 131 mph to 155 mph -- houses Fire Department personnel and the department's dispatch and communications system.
It also is wired to communicate with Broward's Emergency Operation Center.
