State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)

Overview
The state of Arizona maintains a fully operational state emergency operations center and one fully operational alternate state EOC. Additionally, ADEM maintains one 40 foot mobile Command, Control and Communications vehicle capable of functioning as an EOC, as well as four 24 foot Command, Control and Communications vehicles that function as field EOCs. ADEM also has a separate Joint Information Center for media operations and coordination.

The State EOC is located on the Papago Park Military Reservation in Phoenix. It is approximately 5000 sqr ft. In addition, ADEM has a Joint Information Center (JIC) located next door which is approx 4500 sqr ft. The primary alternate state EOC is located about 30 miles east of Phoenix on the ASU-East campus (former Williams AFB). This fully functional ready to use facility was built in 2004 and is about 2500 sqr ft. The Alternate SEOC doubles as an emergency management program lab for the ASU baccalaureate degree program in emergency management.

In 2004 as part of the National Guard exercise Copper Dome, ADEM deployed a small cadre of staff with a mobile server, laptop computers and communications equipment to Camp Navajo near Flagstaff Arizona to test the ability to displace from the SEOC and set up an alternate facility “on-the-fly”. This test was a complete success and the division sustained full functionality and EOC command and control for several days during the exercise.

ADEM maintains a mobile (40 foot RV) Command, Control and Communications vehicle that could function as an EOC. Affectionately known as the “Bullfrog”, its capabilities include voice/data transmission using RF, satellite and landline systems. This vehicle is staged in Phoenix for rapid deployment anywhere in the state

At the local level
Each of Arizona's 15 counties has a fully functional EOC. Some are quite large, like Maricopa County and some in the rural counties are small. Each county has the capability to send and receive data and voice communications to the SEOC. Arizona is in the midst of a statewide communications upgrade which will ultimately allow them interoperable communications statewide. As a matter of routine ADEM augments the County EM staff with reservist EM staff during disasters. This augmentation usually remains for the duration of an emergency and also acts as a direct liaison to the SEOC.

Using HS funds ADEM also built four mobile communication vehicles (24 foot vans) with interoperable communications capability as well as satellite communications. These vans known as “Toads” were built the same time as the Bullfrog Command and Control vehicle mentioned above. ADEM located one vehicle in each of our five HS regions (The central region has the 40 footer). The vans are under operational control of the counties and are considered a regional asset. These vans have the proven capability to function as field EOC's. The vehicles have proven their worth on a number of occasions while supporting flooding events, fires, winter storms and search and rescue operations. The vehicles are located in Mohave, Pima, Gila and Navajo counties.

CONTACT
For additional information on any of these programs, contact us for assistance.