An emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is normally activated at the request of the Incident Commander or senior municipal officials to provide overall jurisdictional direction and control, coordination, and resource support. The City of Abbotsford Emergency Program EOC utilizes the British Columbia Emergency Response Management System (BCERMS) principles for organizing and managing EOC operations and activities. When an EOC is activated, local authorities may establish a policy group comprised of the head of the local authority (e.g. Mayor) and other elected officials and senior executive officers in order to provide the EOC Director with policy direction. An example of this level of policy direction is the declaration of a “state of local emergency.”
The Functions of the Operations Centre:
- Management - Responsible for overall emergency policy and coordination; public information and media relations; agency liaison; and proper risk management procedures, through the joint efforts of local government agencies and private organizations.
- Operations - Responsible for coordinating all jurisdictional operations and support of the emergency response through the implementation of the jurisdictions action plan.
- Planning - responsible for collecting, evaluating, and disseminating information to all agencies in response to the disaster. Begin the advanced planning to begin recovery;
- Logistics - Responsible for providing facilities, service, personnel, equipment, and materials
- Finance/Administration - Responsible for financial activities and other administrative aspects.