$1M secured for new emergency center in Sarasota County

SARASOTA — Thanks to funding obtained through the Homeland Security Appropriations Act for fiscal year 2009, $1 million has become available to help subsidize a new and much-needed emergency operations center in Sarasota County.

“Sarasota County has been fortunate in recent years, but it only a matter of time before we get hit with a major event,” said Congressman Vern Buchanan, who helped secure the money. “This funding will improve the county’s ability to serve the needs of the community and enhance the public safety services that are available should a disaster occur.”

Sarasota County Emergency Services Manager Ed McCrane was pleased to see a major funding step taken toward the realization of a new 50,000-square-foot public safety center that is structurally sound and geographically located, to ensure it can provide critical services and government continuity after the advent of a major storm event.

“The County Emergency Operations Center is the focal point for our ability to direct responses to emergencies,” McCrane said. “It’s critical to construct a secure building where we can manage operations during and after storms. This federal funding is extremely important to the new emergency operations facility.”

McCrane oversaw a mock hurricane drill on June 5, in which all Emergency Operations Center functions were moved from 1660 Ringling Blvd. to the newer, better-fortified Wilkinson Elementary School, about 6 miles away.

"There were about 400 people involved in this operation across the county," McCrane said. "And about 300 of those were at the elementary school. We had members from different law enforcement agencies, the cities and elected officials."

Wilkinson Elementary is the alternate building EOC staff will occupy in the event of any storm stronger than a Category 2, which is the limit of the Ringling Boulevard building.

"Wilkinson Elementary has impact glass, is out of the storm surge at a higher elevation, and can withstand winds of about 150 mph," McCrane said.

Sarasota County Commission Chairwoman Shannon Staub echoed McCrane’s gratitude for the procured funding.

“This federal funding will greatly help Sarasota County construct a new hurricane-hardened emergency operations center to assure the safety of our citizens during storms,” Staub said. “We greatly appreciate Congressman Buchanan's help.”