The Florida Division of Emergency Management (Division) held a groundbreaking ceremony at the construction site of the new State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC). (Florida Division of Emergency Management photo)
Florida's Department of Management Services (DMS) broke ground Sept. 20 on a new State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) in Tallahassee. The $180 million complex will be built on 40 acres of scrub land across from the current facility and serve as the designated coordination center for the Governor and all state agencies when responding to a disaster.
The new SEOC will accommodate the state's Division of Emergency Management staff and partners in a two-story building and include upgraded technology that streamlines processes and allows Division employees to continue day-to-day operations while also actively responding to a disaster, according to a press release from FloridaDisaster.org, the Division's online site.
"Thanks to the continued support of Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Legislature, I am confident in our ability to build a new, state of the art SEOC that will further the [our] disaster response and recovery capabilities," said Kevin Guthrie, executive director of the state's Division of Emergency Management. "The new SEOC will not only accommodate the growing needs of the Division, but also support our pursuit to remain a national leader in the field of emergency management and foster a more prepared and resilient Florida."
Guthrie added that the construction project will ultimately provide responders with much needed additional space, better technology for a quicker response, and a more secure facility — one built to withstand wind from a Category 5 hurricane.
"We just saw Hurricane Idalia narrowly miss a direct hit on Tallahassee," he told the Tallahassee Democrat. "We need an SEOC that can withstand winds up to 200 miles per hour, well over a Category 5 wind speed."
Florida activates its SEOC for natural events like flooding and hurricanes, along with human ones like political conventions and Super Bowls. From the agency's Tallahassee command center, officials also coordinate law enforcement, transportation and social service responses to fit each event.
With More Storms to Watch, SEOC Needs More Room
According to Guthrie, the state has simply outgrown the current operations center. Often there are more than 400 people crammed into space that was designed for 200 when the facility was first built after Hurricane Andrew's rampage through the state in 1992.
Mark Glass is the director of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and as a member of the State Emergency Response Team coordinates public safety activities during a declared emergency. He explained to the Democrat that his team put in 24-hour shifts leading up to, during, and after hurricanes Ian last year and Idalia in late August.
"It was often standing room only in there, it can get very loud, and we're trying to deconflict with everything that's going around public safety," he noted. "There weren't enough outlets for phones, laptops and printers, as well as not enough space at the conference tables when we're trying to have discussions and talks."
To alleviate those problems, the new SEOC will include designated spaces for all 20 of the state's emergency support functions, plus working space for media, future emergency management training and law enforcement, according to FloridaDisaster.org.
Additionally, Florida's mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery bureaus also will be able to operate from the new building, which will allow the Division and other support agencies to accommodate enough staff members to respond to a disaster more quickly and effectively.
Florida Legislators Understand SEOC's Importance
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services Commissioner Wilton Simpson, a former president of the State Legislature, said in a news release that he was happy to see construction get under way on the SEOC after working to get the project funded.
"As Senate President, I was proud to provide $180 million in funding for the new [SEOC], and I am pleased to see the groundbreaking take place so that Florida can continue to lead the nation in emergency management," he noted.
"The SEOC and those who staff it are critical to Florida's response to disasters. When activated, the SEOC showcases the very best of Florida and how the hardworking men and women in each emergency support function work together to ensure our state quickly responds and recovers from emergencies."
State Rep. Jason Shoaf, R-7th District, added, "Having witnessed the EOC's impressive operation during and after Hurricane Idalia brought devastation to my district, I know how meaningful the new building — and the teams within it — will be to all Floridians facing disasters in the future."
In speaking with the Tallahassee Democrat, Guthrie said he expects the new facility to be up and running by the end of 2025.
According to a DMS spokesperson, the existing operations center will be reused as additional office space once the new building is completed and staffed.
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