One of a Kind Emergency Operations Center

The Macomb County Emergency Operations Center represents a strategic consolidation of critical county functions, bringing together the Sheriff's Central 911 Dispatch, Emergency Management and Communications Center, Information Technology Department, and Department of Roads Traffic Operations into a single, efficient facility. PARTNERS led a comprehensive analysis of four potential solutions, including three existing buildings and new construction, evaluating each option for security, functionality, infrastructure connectivity, and cost efficiency.

The analysis resulted in selecting and renovating an underutilized existing building, transforming it into a 26,500-square-foot state-of-the-art emergency operations center. Each department received carefully planned space allocations: 7,250 square feet each for Sheriff's 911 Dispatch, IT Department, and Department of Roads, with 4,200 square feet dedicated to Emergency Management and Communications.

The facility's centerpiece is a 50-foot-wide by 20-foot-tall video wall, funded through a Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement (CMAQ) program grant, enabling real-time monitoring of traffic cameras, tornado sirens, and emergency feeds. This technology hub promotes face-to-face interaction and resource sharing among departments, enhancing emergency response capabilities.

PARTNERS played a crucial role in securing and allocating funding from multiple sources, including CMAQ grants, Emergency Operation Center grants, Community Oriented Policing Service (COPS) grants, Urban Area Security Initiative (UASI) Homeland Security Grants, Sheriff's Drug Forfeiture funds, and County Capital Improvement budget. The project demonstrates how thoughtful analysis, creative funding strategies, and innovative space planning can transform an existing building into a cutting-edge emergency response facility that better serves the community through improved interdepartmental coordination.