City celebrates incoming federal funding upgrading emergency operations center

MANCHESTER, N.H. – On Monday morning, U.S. Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH-01) joined with Manchester Mayor Joyce Craig, Manchester Fire Department Chief Ryan Cashin and Manchester Fire Department Emergency Coordinator Meghan Geoffrion to announce $348,000 in federal funding to renovate the city’s emergency operations center.

According to Geoffrion, the money will primarily be used to purchase new monitors and networking equipment, which have become outdated and inoperable since they were purchased many years ago. Any remaining funding will be used to renovate facilities within the emergency operations center, addressing issues such as temporary walls and new windows to preserve privacy.

The city’s emergency operations center is activated during times of crisis to provide a centralized location for the city’s various departments to coordinate response efforts, although it also used to coordinate the city’s operations during major events such as the annual Taco Tour.

With the upgrades, Geoffrion says that the work done during times that the emergency operations center is activated will become more streamlined and efficient.

Once renovations begin, Geoffrion believes they can be concluded within a year.

Pappas shared his hopes that he can continue to provide resources to the city that will help update local infrastructure.

“We’re going to continue to fight for resources and bring them back to the local level,” said Pappas. “When it comes to responding to emergencies in Manchester, this shouldn’t be an issue that falls solely on the backs of local taxpayers. We need to make sure that the federal government as well as the state is supporting (the city’s) efforts to make sure that the city is as safe and strong as it needs to be for the future.”