An Emergency Operations Center, or EOC, is a central command and control facility that is responsible for carrying out emergency management and ensuring the continuity of operations before, during and after disasters. The National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC) is responsible for carrying out emergency management and ensuring the continuity of operations for the entire country before, during and after disasters. The NEOC is housed within the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). During the Response phase of the Disaster Cycle, technical specialists from all sectors of government are stationed within the NEOC while their counterparts are safely stationed in an EOC in or near the impacted area. This is specifically designed so that the Family Islands are given as much access to help and support as possible through disaster management before, during and after a hazard or disaster.
The specialists stationed in the EOC in the impacted area communicate critical information with the specialists in the NEOC. Critical information includes reports on power outages, rescue requirements, medical supply and personnel needs, food and water needs, emergency evacuations and more. Once a need has been reported to a specialist in the NEOC, they immediately reach out through their networks and organizations to deploy, authorize and disseminate supplies. The specialists also communicate the needs of those in the impacted areas directly to other specialists, their various agencies and to decision makers that would be able to supplement their efforts. Each report is submitted digitally and compiled into a single report called a Situation Report (SitRep).
SitReps are generated twice a day and are designed to provide decision makers a quick understanding of the overall situation which allows them to make informed decisions about next steps for disaster response. Decision makers include the Prime Minister, Permanent Secretary for Disaster Preparedness, Management and Reconstruction and the Director and Deputy Director of NEMA.