Texas A&M Forest Service held a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the newly outfitted Emergency Operations Center in College Station.
The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at Texas A&M University is now equipped with state-of-the-art technology to monitor wildfire risks and occurrences across the state continuously.
“The work done in the EOC is vital to our agency’s response to wildfires and disasters,” said Al Davis, director of the Texas A&M Forest Service.
The newly outfitted center increases the agency’s capacity and strengthens collaboration with partners during emergencies. So far, 132 aircraft have been mobilized through the EOC to respond to wildfire incidents, dropping 1,680,303 gallons of water and retardant on wildfires throughout Texas.
The EOC provides critical information on statewide wildfire response and resource tracking, reporting to the Texas Division of Emergency Management, state and national legislative officials, Southern and National Interagency Coordination Centers, and Texas A&M University System leadership.