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Sarah Levanti
Sr Manager, Marketing & Communications
(321) 638-2000
Slevanti@SpaceCoastEDC.org
 

State Awards EDC with $500,000 for

Brevard County Emergency Operations Center

Brevard’s EOC most activated in the State and is critical to Patrick Air Force Base and local, State, and Federal governments.
 

Space Coast, FL (June 8, 2018) – The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) has been awarded with a $500,000 Defense Infrastructure Grant from the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The award will support the Brevard County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Civil Site Preparation project in support of Patrick Air Force Base.

The Defense Infrastructure Grant Program protects Florida’s military bases by providing funding for local infrastructure and land acquisition needs, as well as other area assets. Brevard County’s EOC serves as a critical component to managing local launch activity and is activated for each launch and launch attempt. In addition, the EOC serves Patrick Air Force Base which houses both the 920th Rescue Squadron and the Air Force Technical Applications Center; Cape Canaveral Air Force Station; and the Naval Ordnance Test Unit, which supports the mission capability and readiness of the US Navy's Trident Submarines and the Fleet Ballistic Missile program of the United Kingdom, as well as an integrated test facility for Strategic Weapons Systems Ashore at Port Canaveral.

Brevard County’s EOC centralizes response and recovery decisions, plans, and operational activities, so that the efficiency, quality, and quantity of resources achieve maximum effectiveness in an emergency situation. This ensures timely alerting and warning capabilities to protect Brevard’s 550,000 residents, and the millions of its annual visitors. The EOC has a unique significance to local, State, and Federal governments for disaster preparedness and response due to the assets within its borders. It is the most frequently activated EOC in the state of Florida, and second most in the entire nation.

“The EDC is pleased that this award will serve both our local military, and the Space Coast community,” said Lynda Weatherman, president and CEO of the EDC. “This grant will facilitate the EOC to continue to serve as a critical asset for our safety, and for the success of our military and space installations.”

According to the 45th Space Wing, "The 45th Space Wing and the Brevard EOC have a great working relationship, having coordinated closely for many launches and emergency operations in our histories. Their efforts to accelerate the construction through the help of the EDC on such a crucial facility will undoubtedly lead to continued success as we work together in the future.”

“We’re excited to receive this grant award, which will get us another step closer to making a new EOC a reality,” said Brevard County Emergency Management Director Kimberly Prosser. “We strive daily to keep the Brevard and local military community safe through coordination of planning, training and drills; overseeing the 9-1-1 system to ensure correct call routing and emergency response; and managing the public safety radio system used by dispatchers and first responders. We look forward to continuing to expand our partnerships.”

For more information on the Defense Infrastructure Grant Program visit www.FloridaJobs.org/military-community-programs

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About the Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast
The Economic Development Commission of Florida’s Space Coast (EDC) is dedicated to attracting new business and investment and expanding existing industry throughout the Space Coast, influencing change on government laws and regulations affecting economic development, promoting the Space Coast to encourage new investment, supporting efforts of Space Coast military installations, and relaying new programs and procedures to assist manufacturing and high-tech companies. The EDC is a private, not-for-profit coalition whose stakeholders are business leaders committed to the economic growth and stability of Florida’s Space Coast. Visit www.SpaceCoastEDC.org