EATON COUNTY, Mich. — I got an inside look at how disaster response is handled statewide at the Michigan State Police headquarters in Dimondale.
- The State Emergency Operations Center coordinates Michigan's response to large-scale disasters and emergencies.
- The $17 million facility was completed in 2016 and can withstand an EF5 tornado with 250 mph winds.
- MSP officials say the center is being activated three times more frequently than in previous years.
WATCH: Michigan State Police gives look inside emergency response headquarters
"The job here is for us to coordinate the state's response when we have a large-scale disaster or emergency," Capt. Kevin Sweeney said.
The State Emergency Operations Center, also known as the SEOC, works with local partners during emergencies to provide a targeted state response for needs like fuel, generators or even oxygen tanks.
"We've averaged activating this building, the SEOC, three times a year. If you went back many, many years ago it was about once every three years, so it's flipped, it's definitely busier," Sweeney said.
The most recent activations were for election security and severe ice storms that hit northern Michigan.
When activated, there's space for the governor, National Weather Service, and many other agencies and people who can streamline a state response.
But this room is only part of the operations at the headquarters.
The Michigan Intelligence Operation Center, also known as the MIOC, is used to gather information and identify threats before any action is taken.
"Even the smallest amount of intelligence could stop a big disaster or an attack here in the United States," Capt. Liz Rich said.
Col. James F. Grady II, director of the Michigan State Police, tells me residents should feel a sense of safety knowing this resource is here to protect them.
"We are monitoring around the clock. We're going to do everything we can to retrieve resources, even going back to COVID when it was PPE. This thing was stood up 24/7 doing just that. Trying to ensure anytime when we have a safety issue here in the state of Michigan, the state police will be heavily involved and do everything we can to successfully accomplish that mission," Grady said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want more FOX 47 News? Here's how you download our Roku app
You can also see the latest news from across our mid-Michigan neighborhoods by liking us on Facebook or following us on X.
