Information
November 2003
Health Canada's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)
Why does Health Canada need an Emergency Operations Centre?
In a national health emergency or disaster, Health Canada is responsible for supporting
emergency health and social services within Canada and internationally. The EOC may be
mobilized in response to calls for emergency assistance from provincial and territorial
governments, and from other parts of the Government of Canada.
Responding quickly and effectively to a natural disaster or human-caused emergency requires
the rapid integration of medical, scientific, technical and administrative skill sets and
resources. The EOC provides a place for experts to assemble and focus on the issues at
hand in a secure, dedicated and appropriately equipped facility with trained support personnel
and the necessary communications equipment.
SARS experience demonstrated a need for a state-of-the-art facility
To better meet operational demands and increase its capacity to respond during a crisis
situation, the EOC moved from its former location at the Brooke Claxton building in Ottawa
to 100 Colonnade Road in Ottawa, and began operating on August 14, 2003.
The new 494 square metre site is "purpose built"- specifically designed to meet a full
range of emergency services. It features:
- a larger emergency generator capacity;
- additional security zoning and lock-down capabilities;
- a large, central boardroom with separate breakout rooms;
- folding, writeable walls;
- a separate room with computer workstations;
- an enhanced audio-visual capacity with improved satellite reception and an advanced
video conferencing system that can accommodate up to 10 simultaneous video conferences;
- satellite, cellular, and land line phones, fax machines, two way radios and laptop
computers;
- a TV and radio room to track coverage of an event; and
- kitchen and rest facilities.
The EOC can operate at four levels
Level 1 - on standby (the EOC generally operates on this level when there
is no emergency, and the facility is available to the Department for emergency training
exercises).
Level 2 - EOC staff begin monitoring an evolving situation with a limited
number of personnel.
Level 3 - Health Canada's Emergency Response Plan is activated.
Level 4 - the number of staff in the EOC is expanded and can provide up
to 24/7 support.
How often does this facility get used?
Within the past 12 months, the EOC has been activated on a number of occasions. During
the recent SARS outbreak, the EOC (then located in the Brooke Claxton Building), was activated
on a 12/7 basis for 60 consecutive days. During the August 2003 power outage, key Health
Canada staff were temporarily relocated to the EOC, given the centre's generator capacity.
More recently, the new EOC was tested during Global Mercury, an international
exercise designed to evaluate the effectiveness of international public health communications
channels during an emergency.
How much did the facility cost?
The cost of the EOC was $1.8 million
Who is in charge of the EOC?
Dr. Ron St. John
Director General,
Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response
Public Health
Public health involves anticipation, readiness planning, careful monitoring and surveillance,
effective research and diagnosis, as well as quarantine systems and medical care to contain
an outbreak. The EOC is the command centre during a health emergency or disaster. It is
just one of the many tools that the Government of Canada will employ to ensure the health
and safety of Canadians in the event of an emergency or disaster.
|
