Washington County reviewing proposals for new emergency center; firms to be interviewed, selection made, in next few weeks

Chairs surround a conference table Thursday in a training room utilized by Washington County Arkansas Emergency Management at the Arkansas Fire Training Academy in Lincoln. Washington County is planning for the construction of a new Emergency Operations Center. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. 
(NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
Chairs surround a conference table Thursday in a training room utilized by Washington County Arkansas Emergency Management at the Arkansas Fire Training Academy in Lincoln. Washington County is planning for the construction of a new Emergency Operations Center. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)

FAYETTEVILLE -- Design work on a new Emergency Operations Center could begin soon, according to Washington County Judge Patrick Deakins.

The county received eight responses to its request for qualifications, and Deakins said, after the information is reviewed, he and others in county administration will narrow the field to two or three proposals. The finalists will be invited to face-to-face interviews.

"We hope to have one selected within the next couple of weeks," Deakins said Thursday.

Each of the firms responding to the request submitted a list of employees who might work on the Emergency Operations Center project along with their background in similar work. The firms listed their experience in designing facilities for law enforcement, fire service, emergency services and other government buildings.

The county is moving ahead with a project to build a new facility to house its Department of Emergency Management and possibly other county offices. Deakins has said the county's Election Commission offices may eventually be moved to the new facility.

The Emergency Management Department's offices are housed in about 3,200 square feet made available by the state Fire Academy at its training facility in Lincoln. Prior to that, the offices were in downtown Fayetteville at 105 N. Mill Ave. in what is now the Northwest Arkansas Crisis Stabilization Unit.

Emergency services was moved to the County Annex building for a brief time in early 2019 to make way for the crisis unit. That building was then designated as the location for a new circuit judge's office and courtroom, and emergency services moved to Lincoln in November 2020.

John Luther, Washington County's director of emergency management, said the county had outgrown the 5,000 square feet in what is now the Crisis Stabilization Unit and a new facility was becoming necessary even before the department moved out.

Luther said the county needs a building "hardened" against most severe weather events, with secure communications facilities and an emergency power supply. The center should have conference rooms, training space and offices, as well as sleeping quarters, kitchen and bathroom facilities for use during prolonged emergency events. He said the county should design a building with room for expansion to avoid a lack of space in the future.

Kyle Curry, deputy director of the department, said the current space in Lincoln isn't centrally located, isn't built to withstand severe weather events, doesn't have the range of computer and communications equipment needed for emergency operations and lacks space for meetings and training.

Curry said emergency management teams are used to working under adverse conditions, but a dedicated facility will improve the county's ability to plan for, train for and manage emergency situations.

"We can work anywhere," Curry said. "We've worked from the hood of a vehicle or on a box in the middle of a field. But an actual, functional EOC needs to have things we don't have right now. The EOC is where you coordinate with local officials and agencies; your county judges, mayors, police and fire chiefs and weather professionals. You need to have space to be able to bring in your state and federal partners."

Curry said with the growth of Northwest Arkansas shows no signs of diminishing. The need for preparedness training and education is becoming more important and an emergency operations center will provide space for that work as well.

"With the population being what it is, it's very important that people understand how to respond to emergencies themselves," he said. "You have to be ready to take care of yourself, your family and your home and then look next door and see if your neighbor needs help. We will be coming, and we will help you, but you're in one house on a street where we may have to get past all these other houses and people who also need help to get to you. Public education and preparedness is essential."

A request for $1 million to pay for architectural and engineering work on a new emergency operations center was approved April 20 by the Washington County Quorum Court.

The justices of the peace voted 13-1 to appropriate the $1 million from the county's remaining American Rescue Plan Act money. The county received more than $46 million from the federal government in the aftermath of the covid-19 pandemic with the money meant to help recover from the effects of the pandemic.

Beth Coger, justice of the peace for District 9, cast the lone "no" vote. Coger questioned the need to earmark $1 million for the architectural and engineering work. She suggested the county budget $250,00 to begin the work and appropriate more if needed. A motion by Coger to change the amount from $1 million to $250,000 was defeated.

Deakins said the county needs to keep moving on the project ,and the $1 million budget for the design work will avoid possible delays that might happen if the Quorum Court had to meet to approve additional money. Deakins said any money from the $1 million not used in the design process will be rolled over into the construction of the building. Deakins has said the best, early estimate puts the cost around $5.5 million.

He said money for construction may be available from the county's ARPA money. Washington County received about $46.5 million in ARPA funds and has obligated about $41.7 million. The funds must be obligated by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026.

The county has selected a location for the emergency operations center near the Road Department facilities on the "South Campus" located on South Brink Drive. Deakins said the proximity to the Road Department, which can provide "men and machines" in the event of an emergency, along with the availability of space on county property were important factors.

In Benton County, some county offices are being moved and the county is making more space available in the Administration Building for emergency communications and for conference and training space, according to County Judge Barry Moehring.

The county is planning to expand its Central Communications facility from seven communication stations to 12, with room to add four more.

Moehring said that the Quorum Court meeting room is being moved to the first floor of the Administration Building and will be designed in such a way that the space can also be used for large-scale emergencies. Moehring said he doesn't yet have a budget for all of the improvements.

  photo  Kyle Curry, deputy director of field operations at Washington County Arkansas Emergency Management, works at his desk Thursday at the Arkansas Fire Training Academy in Lincoln. Washington County is planning for the construction of a new Emergency Operations Center. Visit nwaonline.com/photo for today's photo gallery. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Andy Shupe)
 
 

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