Buchanan Secures $1 Million for New Sarasota County EOC

Press Release

BUCHANAN SECURES $1 MILLION FOR NEW SARASOTA COUNTY EOC

HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE APPROVES HOMELAND SECURITY FUNDING SOUGHT BY BUCHANAN

Congressman Vern Buchanan (FL-13) has secured approval of $1 million in federal funding for a new public safety center in Sarasota County. The House Fiscal Year 2009 "Homeland Security Appropriations Act" (H.R. ) passed today by the House Appropriations Committee includes the funding sought by Buchanan to move the County Emergency Operations Center, 911 Consolidated Communications Center , and the Enterprise Information Technology Data Center from the county administration building to a new facility.

"Sarasota County has been fortunate in recent years, but it only a matter of time before we get hit with a major event," said Buchanan. "This funding will improve the county's ability to serve the needs of the community and enhance the public safety services that are available should a disaster occur."

An engineering survey determined that the county administration building was not designed to withstand a major hurricane. Sarasota County is currently planning and designing a new 50,000 square foot public safety center that is structurally sound and geographically located to ensure it can provide critical services and government continuity after the advent of a major storm event.

"This federal funding would greatly help Sarasota County construct a new hurricane-hardened emergency operations center to assure the safety of our citizens during storms," said Shannon Staub, Sarasota County Commission Chair. "We greatly appreciate Congressman Buchanan's help."

"The County Emergency Operations Center is the focal point for our ability to direct responses to emergencies," said Ed McCrane, Emergency Services Chief. "It's critical to construct a secure building where we can manage operations during and after storms. This federal funding is extremely important to the new emergency operations facility."

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