EOC Support Operations

EOC Support

The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is the critical junction of command and coordination in the event of a major disaster or significant incident in Burbank or the immediate surrounding area. The EOC is run by the Burbank Fire Department Emergency Management Division and in the event of activation, it hosts a full Incident Command Staff, including Burbank Fire, the Burbank Police Department, and other city departments as well as representatives from surrounding municipalities and affected agencies that provide critical infrastructure or vital support functions to the community as well as to the response and recovery operations. 

In the event of activation, Burbank Fire Corps Program volunteers are a critical component in bringing the EOC online. Unlike many that will be responding from other agencies, volunteers are predominantly local. Combined with a heightened state of readiness, volunteers are usually able to respond faster and have the facility setup and ready to plug in agency representatives as they arrive soon after an incident.

Volunteer duties are the infrastructure of the EOC itself – they literally turn the lights on for everybody else. They will open the building, rearrange the layout from the Fire Training Center (FTC) format to the EOC format, and establish the internal stations that will be populated by the participating agencies.

Once the EOC is operational, they will be in the rotation for EOC support.  Volunteers will staff the EOC check-in, may run EOC security, and staff the Command element for other volunteer operations that may be coordinated from the EOC, such CERT.  Volunteers will also staff the EOC's radio communications room and provide general support staff for the main EOC.

Training

The EOC is a sensitive facility and the position requires more than training and a Live Scan background check, it requires a trusted level with the volunteer before they can be assigned to the EOC Support staff.

Once a volunteer reaches a level of comfort and familiarity with the Program, they're eligible for EOC Support Training. This class covers the basics of EOC setup, EOC infrastructure and technology, EOC Incident Command System (ICS) protocols and terminology, EOC security, EOC check-in, EOC support roles and other various EOC related training.