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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRegional Disaster Control Cent .. .. L. .. .. ... St. Lucie County Regional Disaster Control Center and Special Needs Facility ~ ... Amount of Request fu' .. $2,000,000 To be utilized for design, engineering, permitting and initial site preparation. ... Project Manager '- Jack Southard St. Lucie County Public Safety Director 2300 Virginia Avenue Fort Pierce, Florida 34982 Telephone (772) 462-1736 Fax: (772) 462-1737 Email: iacks@co.st-Iucie.f1.us u .. ~ .. ... Emergency Management Need .. St. Lucie County currently has three significant and imminent emergency management needs. Without resolution, these three deficiencies place St. Lucie County residents at high risk during severe emergency events. .. First, due to rapid population growth, the County does not have adequate shelter for individuals with special needs. St. Lucie County has greater than 500 special needs individuals, but shelter space for only 200. During any emergency shelter event, approximately 300 special needs persons would have to be sheltered at the St. Lucie County Civic Center. This center, however, does not meet emergency shelter codes. Independent engineering studies indicate it is not cost effective to bring the building to code given the building's age and structure. ... i. ... 1 '" ... .. L. Secondly, St. Lucie County does not have a reserve disaster control center. If the current disaster control center had to be evacuated or became non-operational due to fire, bomb threat, communication loss or other event; the County would be without a centralized center from which to manage and coordinate services. This would severely impact vital response services during any emergency event. In addition, the current disaster control center is small, both in terms of the building itself and the surrounding property. The site does not allow adequate space for staging response services to a major emergency event involving multiple agencies, storage of supplies and centralized equipment location. .. lilt ... Third, the County does not have a backup 911 communications center. If the current center became non-operational, the County would lack this vital emergency communications program. .. ... Proposed Solution .. To address each of these critical needs, St. Lucie County proposes to construct a building that will have three primary functions. · It will serve as a special needs shelter facility. · It will serve as a regional disaster control center with specialized areas for the staging and distribution of equipment and supplies in the event of an emergency incident. · It will provide 911 - communications backup capability. ... \\ till ... The building will be located at the new St. Lucie County Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds site was acquired in 1998 with the intent that it will serve not only as home to the St. Lucie County Fair; but also as the site of a special needs shelter, a regional disaster control center and a regional emergency animal shelter. Since 1998, the site has undergone marked development toward this goal. This location is ideal in that it is centrally located not only within the St. Lucie County, but also within the four-county area that additionally includes Martin, Okeechobee and Indian River Counties. The building could therefore serve as a control center for planning, staging and distribution in the event of a disaster affecting the four-county area. The site, bordered by State Road 70 and Midway Road, is easily accessible. Both of these roads have direct exits from I-95. State Road 70 also has a direct exit from the Florida Turnpike. The site is approximately six miles from the Florida Turnpike and from either I-95 exit. These highway connections provide easy accessibility from all areas of the State (Please see Addendum Location Maps). The site is also fifteen miles from the coast and would therefore not be subject to storm surge or coastal flooding. It is additionally located outside the 10-mile radius emergency planning area of the St. Lucie County Power Plant. During any nuclear power plant emergency, the site could be utilized as a central area to which all school children can be quickly evacuated. The site's collocation with the County Fairgrounds and the existing animal barns allow it to serve as a regional emergency animal shelter to which animals can be evacuated in the event of wildfires or floods in other areas of the State. .. .. .. .. i.. IH till ... 2 L. .. .. St. Lucie Coun(J' Match ÍIII St. Lucie County's contributions to this project have been significant. These include the land, site development and construction often buildings. The ten buildings include four animal barns, three exhibit buildings, two restrooms and a food service building. In the event of an emergency, the four animal barns will be utilized as animal shelters and the three exhibit buildings will be utilized for storage of emergency supplies and equipment. The food service building and restrooms will provide operations with necessary services. All of the buildings have been constructed to withstand at least a category 3 storm event. The buildings have been wired to allow for full communications between the buildings in the event that outside communications are disrupted by the emergency. The Fairgrounds additionally has a fully equipped campsite for 80 recreational vehicles. During emergency events that do not involve severe weather conditions or during emergency evacuation events in other areas ofthe State, the RV campsite will be available to those in need. Project expenditures incurred by St. Lucie County are the following: · Land Acquisition.............................................. ..$1,033,000 . Stormwater............................................ ............ ..$200,000 · Water/Sewer Lines.......... ............... ............... ....... ...$287,000 · Electric.............................................................. .$285,000 · Heavy Equipment Rental..... ..... .... ........ ... ................ .$100,000 · Permits.............................................................. ...$15,000 · Impact Fees.... ............ ....... ........... .......... ..... ....... ... $10,000 · Trucking MateriaL.............................................. ....$100,000 · Construction of8 buildings........ ...... ........ ............. ..$1,020,050 · Construction of2 restrooms................................... ....$200,000 · In-kind services.................................................. .$1.100,000 .. r: ... ¡ .. .. if; t- ... ~ ~ ~. .. · Total...... .............................. .......................... .$4,470,760 L The St. Lucie County Fairgrounds project provides a prime example of an accomplishment that can be achieved through coordination of effort and strategic planning. The Fairground site was purchased with private funds secured by the Fair Association and was then deeded to St. Lucie County. St. Lucie County assumed a significant percent of site development costs. Numerous contractors donated time and equipment to the development of the site. A private developer donated thousands of tons of fill dirt and additionally agreed to contribute landscaping. A nursery agreed to donate $50,000 in landscaping. The Kiwanis Club donated an exhibit building. The Busch Family Foundation donated horse stables. St. Lucie Battery and Tire Company donated an exhibit building. Eli's Western Wear from Okeechobee County donated a picnic pavilion. Numerous local organizations have made monetary contributions and will additionally be making programming contributions. Significant among the monetary contributions is $8,000 from students of Westwood High School. The St. Lucie County School Board has been significantly involved in the development ofthe Agtivity Center, an interactional education center pertaining to agriculture. The 4H, Future Farmers of America, Cowboy Club, Cattlemen's Association, and the University of Florida Extension Service have all been involved in planning, programming, and fund raising for the Fairgrounds. St. Lucie County also has a very proactive Humane Society, 4H Club, .. .. r: ~ ... L ti, I. ... 3 i!> ... .. .. Veterinary Medicine Association, and Cattlemen's Association and these organizations have agreed to provide a large source of volunteers to assist in emergency and disaster situations involving the animal shelter. These are only few examples ofthe coordinated effort that has been expended in behalf ofthe Fairgrounds. ì. ~ Future Project Costs ... During 2002, a spatial needs assessment was completed by Architects Design Group, Incorporated. The 32,852 square foot building, based upon their recommendations, will be adequately large to shelter 500 special needs persons and to house the disaster control center functions and 911 back-up functions. When combined with the existing special needs shelter for 200 persons that currently exists in the County, the space will be sufficient to provide shelter for the County's projected special needs population growth beyond the year 2010. The building will be designed for expansion as needs arise. '- III. .. Estimated Development Costs include the following: · Land Acquisition.. ... ... ..... .... ..... ...... ....... ...... ............... ...$0 · Construction Finished Area................................. ....$6,077,620 32,852 sq. ft. @ $185.00 sf · Site Improvements................................................ ....$65,000 · Landscape Improvements.. .............................. ......... ..$50,000 · Site Security System..................................... ........... $20,000 · Furnishings...................................................... ....$300,000 · Cabling.. ... ..... ................... ...... ...... ..................... ..$22,000 · Site Identification....... ....... ... ...... ...... ..................... ..$25,000 .. L. ~ ... · Subtotal......... ... ... ...... ............ ...... ................. ... $6,519,620 ! if .. · Professional Fees................................................... $782,354 12% of$6,519,620 · Site Investigation Costs.... ... .... ... ........ ............ .......... .$12,000 · Reimbursable Expenses............................................. $30,000 · 2.1.13 TotaVEstimated Development Value...............$7,343,974 ... ¡ III State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan Consi.'îtency ... The St. Lucie County Regional Disaster Control Center and Special Needs Facility is consistent with the following purposes of the State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan 2002: · Reduce the vulnerability of people and communities of this state to loss of life, injury, or damage and loss of property resulting from natural, technological or man-made emergencies, catastrophes, or hostile military or paramilitary action; · Prepare for prompt and efficient response and recovery activities to protect lives and property affected by emergencies; k t .. 1, ... J ... 4 ¡. .. .. · Recover from emergencies by providing for the rapid and orderly implementation of restoration and rehabilitation programs for persons and property affected by emergencies; and · Assist in anticipation, recognition, appraisal, prevention, and mitigation of emergencies that may be caused or aggravated by inadequate planning for, and regulation of, public and private facilities and land use. .. .. ... This project improves the operation capabilities of the following agencies assigned lead or support responsibilities as identified on the Emergency Support Functions (ESF) Matrix of the Florida Emergency Management Plan: · It assists the Department of Transportation and the St. Lucie County Sheriffs Department in delivering ESF1 (Transportation) services by providing a central, easily accessible, easily located special needs shelter and animal shelter to which residents and animals of St. Lucie County, the Treasure Coast Region, and the State can be evacuated during an emergency or disaster. · It assists the Division of Communications and St. Lucie County Public Safety Department in delivering ESF2 (Communications) services by providing a reserve regional disaster control center in St. Lucie County through which emergency communication services can be coordinated. It additionally provides a backup 911 communications system. · It assists the Division of State Fire Marshall, Division of Forestry, the Florida Fire Chiefs Association, and the St. Lucie County Fire District in delivering ESF4 (Fire fighting) services by providing a shelter to which citizens and animals can be evacuated and by providing a reserve command and communications center where wildfire response and rescue services can be coordinated and managed in St. Lucie County. · During the planning, response and recovery phases of a disaster; it assists the Division of Emergency Management and the St. Lucie County Public Safety Department in delivering ESF5 (Information and Planning) services by providing a reserve command and communications center in St. Lucie County where incident action planning can be conducted and facilitated through information collection, processing, and dissemination. · It will assist all agencies involved in ESF6 (Mass Care) by providing a central, easily accessible location for individuals with special needs and for animals. · During the initial response stage after a disaster, the project assists the Department of Management Services and the St. Lucie County Public Safety Department in delivering ESF7 (Resource Support) services by providing a reserve command and communications center where emergency response and rescue services can be assessed, planned, coordinated, and managed. · It assists the Division of State Fire Marshall, the St. Lucie County Sheriffs Department and the St. Lucie County Fire District in delivering ESF9 (Search and Rescue) services by reducing the need for search and ... .. ¡; II. ... ìt I. ... 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R .. rescue efforts by providing additional special needs and animal shelter space. · It assists the Department of Environmental Protection in delivering ESF10 (Hazardous Environmental) services by providing shelter and a centralized location to which school children can be evacuated in the event of an emergency at St. Lucie County Nuclear Power Plant. · It will assist all agencies involved in ESF11 (Food and Water) by providing a central location to which food and water for special needs individuals and animals can be delivered and maintained during an emergency event. · It will assist the Department of Community Affairs and St. Lucie County Public Safety Department in delivering ESF14 (Public Information) services by creating a reserve site through which emergency information can be disseminated. · It provides assistance to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and the St. Lucie County Sheriff s Department in ESF 16 (Law Enforcement and Security) by providing a reserve facility through which the services of law enforcement personnel can be assessed, planned, coordinated, and monitored during emergencies involving evacuation, rioting, crowd control, or other law enforcement events. · It will assist all agencies involved in ESF17 (Animal Protection) by providing a central location which will provide all animals affected by a disaster with emergency medical care, evacuation, rescue, temporary confinement, food, shelter, water, and identification return to the owner. ¡;;\ .. ¡. ¡:' .. II. .. .. !? .. .. ÍIIt b .. ÍII i. ~ .. '- '- 6 ill. .. .. .. \~ .. [ ÌIII II. Location Maps ... r .. L I' ~ ~, , .. ~ II. ~ .. L i .. ... í. .. ~. I ~ ! l\1 Ii J I Ii o E Control Center FacHity N s Miles Fairgrounds Facility is the foremost and Special Needs Completed Exhibit Buildings. In the event of an emergency, these buildings will be utilized to store supplies and equipment. One of four animal barns that will be utilized for emergency animal shelter. Animal stalls in animal barns will be utilized to shelter animals during emergency event. Food Service Area that can be utilized during response period after emergency to feed staff and volunteers.