What is an Emergency Operations Center?
An Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is a physical space that functions as a centralized location for the overall coordination of emergency response activities. An EOC may be a temporary facility or established permanent structure, and contributes to the effective mobilization of resources, management of information and coordination and control of health-related emergency operations and activities.
PAHO's Emergency Operation Center
The Pan American Health Organization's Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a permanent structure that functions as a centralized location for coordination, support and control of health-related emergency response activities regardless of the location or the nature of the health emergency.
The EOC houses the emergency operations team, as well as the Organization´s disaster response team and epidemic alert and response team working through the center, which collects, analyzes, prioritizes, monitors, and disseminates information about health crises or disasters. This intelligence enables health authorities in Member States and the international community to make timely and effective decisions to ensure that the response to health emergencies is timely and effective.
The EOC has two primary functions: permanent functions during non-emergency periods and functions during emergencies and disasters.
Take a Virtual Tour (360 degrees) of the EOC in action during emergencies
OpenWHO Course: The Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC)
This online course is designed as a companion to WHO’s Framework for a Public Health Emergency Operations Centre and is aimed at health emergency preparedness and response professionals, policy makers and partners seeking to implement and sustain Public Health Emergency Operations Centres.
Self-paced
Language: English