March 19, 2021, marked the one-year anniversary of the activation of the Racine County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to manage and support the COVID-19 response in Racine County.
An Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, is a central command and control facility responsible for carrying out emergency management and ensuring the continuity of operations. It is set up during large or complex incidents that require a high degree of coordination between multiple agencies.
The Racine County EOC is located in the basement of the Law Enforcement Center and has been upgraded several times over the past 20 years. During that time, it has been tested through disaster drills and exercises, but those activations only lasted several hours and the EOC was never tested under real-life situations. That all changed on March 19, 2020, when staff began working out of the EOC on a daily basis. Since June 2020, the EOC has been operating virtually.
The EOC has included members of public health departments, law enforcement agencies, Racine County Office of Emergency Management, County Executive’s Office and other first responders and key personnel.
“EOCs are used to monitor emergency situations as well as to look at the big picture and identify needs that may arise,” said David Maack, Racine County Emergency Management Coordinator. “The EOC makes policy recommendations, manages public information and identifies and allocates resources.”
The Racine County EOC faced several challenges at the onset of the pandemic. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like N95 masks, gloves and gowns were in short supply. A Logistics Section was created to procure items including PPE, hand sanitizer and cleaning supplies, and a system was developed so partner agencies and businesses could request these supplies from the EOC.
When facemasks began being encouraged, and then mandated, for daily use, the EOC worked with jail staff to make masks for both inmates and staff, in addition to working with local seamstresses to make masks that were made available for frontline staff.
“There was a lot we didn’t know about COVID-19 at the beginning, so we erred on the side of caution. PPE was in short supply, so we wanted to ensure that our first line responders had adequate equipment to do their jobs,” Maack said. “There were many organizations that donated supplies to the EOC for redistribution. As we began to learn more about the transmission of COVID, recommendations were modified.”
The EOC developed plans to establish isolation facilities for those who may need to self-quarantine and alternate care facilities to address potential hospital overflow, coordinated testing sites for both the community and at facilities with outbreaks, and developed recovery plans to help transition back to normal operations. Although the EOC has transitioned to virtual, weekly briefings are still conducted and EOC staff is helping coordinate testing and vaccination clinics as well as manage resources needed to respond to COVID.
The Racine County EOC also worked closely with the State EOC (SEOC) and has served as a conduit of information between the SEOC and partner agencies. The SEOC established guidance, acquired supplies for redistribution to counties and contracted for a system to disinfect N95 masks, allowing for multiple reuse.
“Unlike a tornado, flood or train derailment, this pandemic moved slow enough at first that we had time to develop plans. This gave EOC staff the opportunity to be thorough, as well as test the EOC under real-life situations and identify additional upgrades and equipment repairs that were needed,” said Jay Kerner, Chief Deputy Emergency Management Coordinator.
“We see the EOC as a critical hub for bringing people together, addressing policy concerns and acquiring resources,” said Racine County Sheriff’s Capt. Jim Weidner. “We have since used the EOC as a command center for multiple events that have impacted the community.”
“We are so thankful for our first responders and frontline personnel, as well as all the local agencies that worked together to gather information, build plans and assist in acquiring critical supplies,” County Executive Jonathan Delagrave said. “As we shift toward vaccinations and economic recovery, I am confident that we can continue overcoming challenges and work together to build a stronger Racine County.”
