Emergency operations centers (EOCs) could benefit by taking a page from one of the latest chapters in law enforcement’s book—a concept known as the fusion center. According to a recent article in Government Technology’s Emergency Management, Fusion centers—which aim to aggregate and disseminate intelligence information, mostly regarding terrorism and other crime—have a lot to offer emergency operations centers in terms of lessons learned and practical assistance in a disaster.
Fusion centers are created for the purpose of collecting information from law enforcement, public safety officials, and private entities, analyzing that information in real time, and sending it out to those who need to know. Many of the 58 centers that now exist are outfitted with technology such as GIS mapping or video surveillance of city streets. Although geared for crime, they could be a treasure trove of needed-knowledge during a disaster, Andrew Lluberes of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the magazine.
“As a conduit to share information and intelligence, they certainly would be used in a future natural disaster,” he was quoted as saying.
Because the fusion center’s work on the same principal as EOCs—with the exception that most are staffed full time—there’s much to be learned about automating data searches, layering information, compiling notification and communication procedures, and coordinating responders. But the centers themselves also have some learning to do. According the article, a Government Accountability Office report released in April found staffing, resources, and sensitive information sharing were a challenge for most of the centers. The lack of a central model for center setup and operation could also cause problems, another federal report stated.
For more on fusion centers, including a list of states that now have centers and a progress report on center activity, visit the DHS website.
Jolie Breeden is the lead editor and science communicator for Natural Hazards Center publications. She writes and edits for Research Counts; the Quick Response, Mitigation Matters, Public Health, and Weather Ready Research Award report series; as well as for special projects and publications. Breeden graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado Boulder with a bachelor’s degree in journalism.