Boone County Office of Emergency Management
 

About the Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

Teenagers walking toward fire and EMS vehicles

The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a key component of the Boone County Office of Emergency Management, used to coordinate emergency responses and ensure effective action during crises. It serves as a central hub for managing emergencies, bringing together agencies and organizations to share resources, and respond quickly to crises such as natural disasters, severe weather, large events, or public health issues. The EOC plays a crucial role in improving communication and decision-making to safeguard the wellbeing of residents.

The EOC will activate for all natural, man-made, and technological incidents that exceed our community's local capacity to effectively and efficiently respond. This could include things such as:

  • Mizzou football games
  • Severe storms
  • Severe winter weather

Who is Involved?

EOC's are multidisciplinary, and adaptable to the requirements of the jurisdiction as well as the scope of the incident.

EOC staff may include:

  • Fire
  • Law Enforcement
  • EMS
  • Public Works
  • Public Health
  • School districts
  • Missouri State Highway Patrol
  • Parks and Recreation
  • Missouri National Guard
  • Road and Bridge

EOC Levels

The Office of Emergency Management Director, or his/her designee activates the EOC and determines the level required to effectively and efficiently respond to the incident at hand. The level of EOC activation is based on the incident's severity and the resources needed. The levels are as follows:

  • Level 4 (Daily Operations/Monitoring): Routine operations with no incident or event has been identified.
  • Level 3 (Standby/Enhanced Monitoring): EOC key personnel are notified and remain on standby to respond.
  • Level 2 (Partial Activation): EOC staff and some key personnel are on-site at the EOC.
  • Level 1 (Full Activation): EOC staff and relevant partners are on-site, coordinating with regional, state, and federal agencies as needed.

What Role Does the EOC Play in a Disaster?

EOC staff do not make any tactical decisions for the on-scene responders. Instead EOCs coordinate with on-scene incident managers and other agencies and organizations to:

  • Acquire, allocate, and track resources
  • Manage and share information
  • Liaison and coordinate with other jurisdictions and other levels of government
  • Provide legal, financial, and administrative support