State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC)
The State Emergency Operations Center (SEOC) is a state-of-the-art command and control center located on Independence Boulevard in Baton Rouge. From this location, disaster planning, response and mitigation for critical incidents are coordinated and managed. The SEOC can be activated in response to natural disasters, severe weather events and other emergencies, serving as a central operations center for emergency response. It can also be activated in response to a man-made disaster, terrorist threat or other significant event or emergency. In this capacity, the SEOC serves as a central operations center to meet high-profile security needs and provides support for other State agencies and departments.
STATE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER
During disasters and emergencies when the need for resources has exceeded the local capability to provide them, the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness (GOHSEP) assists Parish and local governments and coordinates the State’s response activities, including interaction with the Federal government, nonprofit, faith-based, volunteer and private-sector partners through the SEOC.
The SEOC is activated at the discretion of the Director of GOHSEP for an incident or when an incident is imminent. It has been activated for an array of events including disasters, response to inclement weather, support for security details, hazardous materials incidents and multi-jurisdictional law enforcement operations. The SEOC monitors major evacuation routes and Louisiana’s critical infrastructure through sophisticated on-site video monitoring equipment. The SEOC is equipped with communications, mapping and intelligence gathering technology designed to increase situational awareness and facilitate information dissemination. All SEOC systems have built in backup systems in place to ensure uninterrupted service to the citizens of Louisiana.
State Unified Command Group (UCG)
The State Unified Command Group (UCG) – as defined in Louisiana Revised Statute (LRS) Title 29: 725.6 – is the strategic decision-making body for emergencies. The UCG is comprised of members appointed by executive order of the Governor. The Governor is the Unified Commander. The UCG provides a unified and coordinated approach to emergency incident management, enabling institutions, governing authorities and agencies with different legal, geographic and functional responsibilities to coordinate, plan and interact effectively. Members of the UCG coordinate and manage the activities of the SEOC.
Under the command of the UCG, the SEOC facilitates all levels of government response, resource providers and stakeholders, helping them work together to ensure that the first priority of an emergency or disaster is met – the immediate safety and welfare of citizens and the protection of life and property.
Emergency Activation Levels (EALs)
Emergency Action Levels (EALs) have been established to provide a general indicator of the level of seriousness of an incident and related guidance for response and protective actions. EALs ensure emergency response forces have a common basis on which to implement actions necessary to appropriately handle a situation. Procedures are on file in the SEOC. The four (4) required EALs are shown in the table on the right.
Emergency Management Process
Emergency Management in Louisiana is supported by plans, procedures, and partnerships. Logistics pre-disaster planning ensures appropriate systems are in place before a disaster or emergency so that needed resources (equipment, materials, supplies and manpower) are identified and available timely and efficiently to communities when impacted by a disaster or an emergency. While the first source of resources should most logically be those closest to a disaster, there are processes in place to help when disaster-related needs go beyond local capacity.
