State's Emergency Operations Center officially opens in Mesa

 ADEM's arrangement with ASU maximizes state’s preparedness

PHOENIX–The Arizona Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) has officially opened an Alternate State Emergency Operations Center to enhance and solidify its capability to operate during a disaster or other emergency situation.

The Center will be located at the site of the Del E. Webb Foundation High Altitude Chamber at Arizona State University, Polytechnic Campus, in Mesa.

ADEM is home to the State Emergency Operations Center, where representatives from all levels of government communicate with each other during state-declared emergencies and disasters to help manage the situation. ADEM is located at the Papago Park Military Reservation in Phoenix.

The alternate Mesa facility will be integral for emergency management in the event that the State Emergency Operations Center becomes unusable or unreachable during a disaster.

“One of our primary missions at ADEM is to be prepared and to help citizens prepare for any emergency,” said ADEM Director Lou Trammell. “Residents should always have a contingency plan in case they are affected by an emergency. It is imperative that we atate employees, who are responsible for responding to these crises, also be fully prepared for any potential disaster.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Alternate State Emergency Operations Center will be held on Feb. 22, 2012, at 10 a.m.

Visit the Arizona Emergency Information Network (AzEIN) website at www.AzEIN.gov for real-time emergency updates, preparedness and hazard information, and multimedia resources