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Every Second Matters: Why Emergency Operations Centers Need Flawless AV Systems 

Every community, large or small, depends on one room during a crisis: the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). 

 
An EOC is the brain of a city or business during an emergency. It is where decisions are made, where agencies coordinate, and where lives can quite literally be protected through real-time communication. EOCs are the command hub for storms, wildfires, chemical spills, hospital emergencies, cyberattacks, and more. These centers bring together police, fire rescue, utilities, hospitals, transportation, public works, and local leadership to monitor all aspects of live data and resources. 

But that leads to a question few people consider: What happens when communication fails inside the room that must never fail? 

Imagine a tornado heading toward a town, and the main EOC display freezes right as radar images are updated. Imagine a wildfire briefing where audio drops out, and remote agencies cannot hear evacuation calls. 

This is why mission-critical AV has become just as important as radios, generators, and emergency power. To understand how vital reliability is, it helps to look at real events. 

Real Emergency Events Where EOCs Were Activated  

1. Hurricane Harvey – Houston, TX (2017) 

Emergency: Catastrophic flooding affects over 300,000 structures.  

The Houston Office of Emergency Management became one of the busiest command centers in the country. Clear communication was essential because agencies were coordinating: 

– Boat rescues 
– Road closures 
– Shelter activations 
– Live flood-gauge monitoring 
– Federal coordination via FEMA 

AV Technology That Can Be Used: 
Barco video wall system, QSC Q-SYS DSP infrastructure, and redundant networked audio to route live news feeds, GIS mapping, helicopter footage, and emergency channels to decision-makers in real time. 

2. Camp Fire – Paradise, CA (2018) 

Emergency: One of the deadliest wildfires in California history. 

Butte County activated its EOC to coordinate evacuation zones, roadblocks, emergency shelters, and statewide fire agency communication. 

AV Technology That Can Be Used: 
Ceiling-array microphones (Sennheiser TeamConnect) and Q-SYS Core processors with AEC to maintain clear communication between law enforcement and surrounding counties. 

3. Super Bowl LV Fan-Traffic & Resource Coordination – Tampa, FL (2021) 

Emergency Operations Centers are not only for disasters! 
When Tampa hosted Super Bowl LV, the city activated its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate: 

– Traffic control across major highways and bridges 
– Crowd management around Raymond James Stadium 
– Public transportation flow 
– Emergency medical readiness 
– Utility monitoring (power, water, comms) 
– Coordination between city departments, law enforcement, and event organizers 

AV Technology That Can Be Used: 

– Multi-screen video walls for traffic cameras and drone feeds 
– Networked PTZ cameras for monitoring event zones 
– Dante-enabled microphones for inter-department briefings 
– BrightSign digital signage for real-time updates 
– Crestron and AMX control systems to keep routing simple and stable 

A reliable AV helps keep everything moving smoothly. 

Teer AV Case Example: City of Altamonte – Lake Lotus Emergency Operations Center 

When the City of Altamonte needed to modernize the AV backbone of their Emergency Operations Center at the Lake Lotus Office, they partnered with Teer Audio Visual to create a resilient and high-performance communication hub. 

We integrated a complete ecosystem built for reliability: 

Processing & Control 
– QSC Core 8 Flex & Core 110f (AEC, VoIP, routing, room linking) 
– QSC TSC-70 / TSC-710t touch panels for intuitive control 

Audio 
– Sennheiser TeamConnect Ceiling system 
– Sennheiser wireless handhelds, lavaliers, and table mics 
– QSC SPA2-200 and JBL CSA amplifiers 

Video 
– Sharp 86" PN-L862B main display 
– QSC NC-12x80 PTZ camera with ceiling and wall mounting 
– Roland UVC-01 for high-quality USB streaming 
– Aurora and Key Digital AV-over-IP transport for fast switching 

Network & Infrastructure 
– Netgear GSM4230PX AV switch 
– Middle Atlantic UPS for power protection 
– Switchcraft and Kramer fiber connectivity 
– Audinate Dante I/O for flexible audio routing 

This system allows staff to join calls instantly, share visuals, monitor live feeds, route any source to any display, and maintain communication even under emergency load. 

Your AV System Should Never Be the Weak Link 

Disasters are not slowing down. Storms are stronger. Response times are tighter. Agencies depend on each other more than ever. Upgrading AV is not about having nicer screens or better microphones. It is about creating fail-proof communication when pressure is at its highest.  

Whether it is a small meeting space or a full municipal EOC, Teer Audio Visual designs AV systems that stay reliable when everything else is under pressure. Want a consultation or an evaluation of your current command center? Contact us now!