Idaho Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

The Idaho Emergency Operations Center The IDEOC serves as the central point for State emergency management operations. In accordance with Governor’s Executive Order 2006-10, the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security (BHS) is charged to establish and maintain the IDEOC for directing the coordination of emergency and disaster operations. The coordination and supervision of all state-directed emergency response and recovery services will be through the IDEOC, its Section Chiefs, and the designated State Coordinating Officer (SCO) to provide for the most efficient management of resources. The BHS Operations Section maintains daily IDEOC functions through the BHS Duty Officer.

The BHS Duty Officer is on-call 24-four hours, 7 days-a-week, for immediate response to notification and requests for assistance by federal, state, tribal, and local governments.
The BHS Duty Officer can be reached by calling the State Communications Center StateComm) at 1-800-632-8000. If the Duty Officer is unable to handle the request, he or she can contact any of the BHS staff for assistance throughout the day or night.
Requests for state assistance are directed to the BHS Duty Officer for notifications, processing, and activation of the IDEOC Operations Section. Activation of the IDEOC is determined by the complexity of the emergency or incident and the level of state assistance requested or required. The determination to activate the IDEOC is made by the BHS Director or Deputy Director. A brief overview of IDEOC functions includes:

Monitoring the disaster or emergency situation;
Coordinate requests for resource support from any level of government;
Manage requests for assistance through a Mission Assignment Process (MAP);
Coordinate State and Federal response activities; and
Prioritize and allocate scarce resources between competing jurisdictions.

Since 85 percent of the nation's disasters are weather-related, the Operations Specialist pays special attention to weather patterns throughout the Northwest and Pacific Regions. The National Weather Service plays an extremely important role in the Bureau's overall early warning system.

IDEOC Communications. The IDEOC contains communications and warning systems that allow the Operations Specialist or Duty Officer to provide information and threat assessments to local governments under any conditions as soon as the information becomes available. Some of the communications systems, besides the local telephone system, include the Federal Telecommunications System, a satellite telephone, a direct line to Idaho National Environmental Engineering Laboratory (INEEL), a direct line to the Governor's Office, and a STU-III secure telephone that allows for the receipt of classified information from federal agencies during national emergencies. Although the Bureau has no assigned statewide radio system, it maintains contact with local law enforcement through an independent system called the Idaho Law Enforcement Telecommunications System (ILETS).

Emergency Alert System (EAS).The EAS is a national public warning system that requires broadcasters, cable television systems, wireless cable systems, satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS) providers and, direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service providers to provide the communications capability to the President to address the American public during a National emergency. The system also may be used by state and local authorities to deliver important emergency information such as AMBER alerts and weather information targeted to a specific area.

The National Warning System (NAWAS). The National Warning System (NAWAS) is a leased land-line communications system that predecessor agencies of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) created for civil defense purposes. Although the system was created to provide limited communications in case of nuclear attack, it is now used for disseminating warning announcements concerning local, state and national emergencies. Because the cost of the NAWAS system is borne exclusively by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), there have been several attempts over the years to cut federal expenses by terminating the NAWAS system. So we are almost always at risk of someday losing this valuable communications resource.

Public Emergency Information. During disasters, the IDEOC and the Idaho Military Division's Public Information Officer collaborate to provide timely and accurate public emergency information on the BHS web page.

State and Local Coordination. The Operations Chief maintains close contact with BHS Area Field Officers (AFO) who are assigned to six area offices throughout the State including Coeur d' Alene, Lewiston, Boise, Twin Falls, Pocatello and Idaho Falls. BHS AFOs work closely with County Emergency Managers, Commissioners, Mayors, emergency response agencies, volunteer organizations and the general public to prevent or limit damage from disasters through Mitigation Programs, and to prepare communities to respond and recover from the damage that natural and man-caused disasters cause. Working with program managers in Boise, AFOs provide planning, training and coordination assistance to 200 incorporated cities and 44 counties throughout the State of Idaho.