The City of Sequim is another step closer to readying for a natural disaster or major emergency.

City staff revealed Sequim’s new Emergency Operations Center inside the Clallam Transit Center, 190 W. Cedar St., on April 25.

In the works since planning for the Sequim Civic Center began, the transit center can convert for emergency purposes in less than an hour, says Sequim Police Chief Bill Dickinson.

“I think we are better prepared now than we have ever been,” he said.

“We’re a little bit better organized. We’re still working to try to get all of our staff trained.”

The center includes five work stations including areas for city staffers to work with topics like finance to planning. All stations are mobile says Steve Rose, Sequim’s information technology director, with tablets and preloaded FEMA forms and other needed software and battery backups.

Rose said the building will have to stand on its own and the center’s server room will connect to the Civic Center to back up critical systems to continue the city’s regular operations.

Dickinson said city staff plan to move a generator used at the former police station and place it on the west side of the building.

A 1,000-gallon propane tank will be installed underground on the southwest corner of the center’s property, too. Rose said the propane should last up to seven days with full-time use.

A solar generator available in the “Radio Shack room” Dickinson said should power the radio systems if needed.

Staff say they are investigating installing a ham radio, too. Dickinson said city staff chose the Clallam Transit Center because it is expected to hold up in a major earthquake.

“It’s a wood-framed single story building that statistically holds up better than multi-story buildings and cinder block buildings,” he said.

“These buildings are more flexible. We can expect to see cracks in the walls and see ceiling tiles fall out and become floor tiles.”

If the transit center does fall, Dickinson said the alternative plan would be to set up operations and a tent camp from the Public Works’ shop on West Hemlock Street.

Cost for the centerOnce complete, city staff estimate the project costing about $62,500.

Original budgets for the Emergency Operations Center ranged significantly during planning of the Sequim Civic Center next door, but over the years the project eventually was set to $20,000 for the 2015 budget and shifted previously for installation at the Clallam Transit Center but never started.

Sue Hagener, administrative services director, said there are about $100,000 in contingency funds from the Capital Facilities Fund to pay off the center’s upgrades.

She said by adding more to the project they saved money by doing it all at once rather than at different points. A majority of the costs went to electrical work and technology such as for a new server ($11,151), wiring for the generator ($13,842) and tablets ($7,000). Dickinson said they plan to use the Emergency Operations Center during disaster-preparedness drills on June 7-10 so that staff members know the necessary steps during a disaster.

City staff anticipate the center being fully complete by June too.

For more information on the Emergency Operations Center, call the City of Sequim at 683-4139.

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.