WC Monitor
10/23/2015
WIPP Emergency Ops Center Complete
Workers recently completed construction on a 4,000-square-foot, “state-of-the-art” emergency operations center at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant, according to a WIPP press release. The Skeen-Whitlock Building, which houses the Energy Department’s Carlsbad Field Office, was remodeled over the past several months to make room for the center. “The physical changes include a primary [emergency ops center] area, Emergency Management support area and several contingency rooms,” the release states. “Other key upgrades include the installation of new computers, wall-mounted monitors and interactive message boards. A number of software enhancements have also been added that are designed to improve incident response capabilities.” Among the upgrades is software that allows information sharing among WIPP and federal, state, and local public safety entities and “various other partners who also use the software,” the release states. The software, known as WebEOC, will provide real-time communication links between WIPP employees managing an emergency to the ops center and other supporting organizations with emergency management responsibilities.
