Conducted by:
Ms. Sandra Gonzalez, Long Beach Department of Public Works
Mr. Steve Mutch, Simplus Management Corporation
Mr. Del Davis, Long Beach Department of Public Works
The new Long Beach Emergency Command center, located at the corner of Redondo Ave. and Spring St. is a brand new 42,000 square foot facility. The cost of the building is approximately $32,000,000. $15,000,000 is for the construction of the building only. The other $17,000,000 is being used to furnish and supply the building (including all computer hardware and software and electrical circuits and equipment).The building is isolated from the ground. It is supported on 24 (?) compacted rubber and lead supports. These "isolators" are 3 feet in diameter and are designed to move horizontally in any direction 30" before returning to their original position. Because of needing room for this movement, the building is built in a pit that is over 3' wider than the building. A bumper skirt surrounds the base of the building to prevent people and stuff from falling into the basement area and a plate walkway covers the area in front of the doors. During an earthquake, this skirt will be seen to move back and forth across the walkway around the building.
The connections to all water, sewer, and electricity are all on flexible joints which allow for the horizontal movement of the building without breaking. The elevator structure is suspended from the building's frame, but the hydraulics that operate the elevator are attached to the basement. Flexible tubing connects the electricity and hydraulic fluids to the elevator. Even the stairs into the basement stop an inch short of the ground and are, thus, free to move independently from the building's basement during a temblor.
Dual redundancy is featured on everything.
The building is supplied by power from Southern California Edison. Power is fed directly to a room full of batteries. All power to the building is actually run through the batteries. In the event that power from SCE is interrupted, the batteries continue to feed power to the systems. The generators are then automatically fired up to start supplying power with no disruption or surge through the system. That backup power is run through the batteries also and the generators recharge the batteries as they are providing power to the building.
Two generators are on site but the current building power needs can be supplied by using only one. Both are used if necessary so as not to overload a generator.
Due to its proximity to the Long Beach groundwater plant (which uses large amounts of chlorine), and due to bioterrorism concerns, the air system has sensors that can seal off the inside of the building from the outside air in the event that something is detected. Internal scrubbers then purify the air until it is safe to breathe the outside air.
The Computer/Systems room is designed for 100% expansion. In other words, they do not know what type of systems will be used in the future, but excess space and overhead raceways have been built with expansion in mind.
The facility has two primary functions: 1) it is the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) for the City of Long Beach; and 2) it is the 911 call center for both the police and fire departments.
The EOC room itself is a state-of-the-art facility. This is where decisions are made during a crisis. Tables are provided with computers and telephones and each chair is assigned to one particular person or organization. The groups don't meet in the room: Only the decision makers for each of the groups. They in turn are in contact with their own people located either in one of the many side rooms or off-site at their own command center. This not only reduces the number of people in a room at an extremely stressful time, but it also makes for a cleaner decision-making process. When the mayor or the incident commander needs information from a group, he/she talks to one person and one person only. This is based on the Incident Command System that all municipalities, cities, counties and states are required to adhere to.
The EOC also has full wall screen TV monitors, plus internal closed circuit and broadcast capabilities. Practically every room in the building on all floors has a TV monitor with VCR/DVD capabilities. This way, in a true emergency, all areas can be kept informed and/or building-wide announcements or conferences can take place. The structure is also connected to satellite and cable and can receive regular broadcast stations. A telecommunications feed box has been built outside so that news crews can still receive information from the inside without having to be physically in the building.
Hopefully, the EOC will never be used; however, this building is also the new home to both the Long Beach Police Department's and the Long Beach Fire Department's two 911 call centers. Due to various reason, they each have separate facilities.
The Police department's 911 call center is the larger of the two call centers (and the one with a better view). If you drive along Spring St., look up at the second floor windows of the building. Behind the tinted glass is the 911 call center with a view of the airport. Each operator workstation is more like a miniature command and control console with three computer flat screens at each station. The desks and keyboard table tops are both adjustable electronically, so that people can use them standing or sitting at any height that is comfortable to them. Each station also has individual environmental and lighting controls as well as secure phone capabilities. Unlike the existing 911 call center, they now have a training area.
The Fire department's 911 call center is the smaller and appears more compact. Their view overlooks the Long Beach Groundwater plant. Like the Police, each operator workstation is more like a miniature command and control console with three or four computer flat screens at each station. The extra screen is to provide medical information from the paramedics. Again, the desks and keyboard table tops are both adjustable electronically. Each station also has individual environmental and lighting controls as well as secure phone capabilities. Again, they, too, now have a training area. They have a smaller area due to the nature of most fire-related 911 calls.
Both the police and fire not only have their own separate call centers, but they also have their own kitchen, conference, reception, and quiet room facilities. They do, however, share the locker room, showers, and exercise room.
Though not designed to be occupied for long term events, in the event of a long term incident, the rooms are spacious enough so that they could easily be converted into sleeping areas.
The structure has been finished for months; however, it will be September before it is fully occupied and operational. Some offices are currently operational and the facility is being used. For instance, the fire department uses it for its weekly command staff meetings, due to its central location and to get used to the facilities.
We wish to thank Steve Mutch of Simplus Management Corporation (which handled construction management for the building project) and Sandra Gonzalez, of Long Beach's Department of Public Works, for conducting the tour, and also Del Davis, also of the Department of Public Works, for offering the CSULB Geography Department this opportunity.
Attending the tour were:
Ms. Doreen Jeffrey
Ms. Nadine Gano
Ms. Joy Turlo
Mr. Mark Jackman
Ms. Karen Werstivk
Ms. Leeta Latham
Mr. James Woods
Mr. Mike Deeble
Dr. Chrys Rodrigue
Dr. Judith Tyner
Dr. Gerald Tyner
[ Geography home ]
[ Liberal Arts ]
[ CSULB home ]