Florida’s Division of Emergency Management has officially opened its new State Emergency Operations Center, unveiling a 208,400-square-foot facility designed to expand the state’s capacity to manage disasters.
The new SEOC is more than twice the size of the previous facility. Nearly 200 people can work on the main floor when an emergency is activated, compared to roughly 80 in the old building.
Division Executive Director Kevin Guthrie said the upgrade addresses longstanding limitations in how state agencies work together during emergencies.
“The new State Emergency Operations Center is a bold investment in Florida’s future,” Guthrie said. “This facility was designed not just for today’s challenges, but for the evolving threats of tomorrow. It strengthens our ability to unify partners at every level, harness innovation, and lead with speed and precision when disasters strike.”
The facility is structurally stronger than the previous building, with the SEOC wing built to withstand winds of up to 200 miles per hour — stronger than any hurricane on record. Three backup generators provide redundant power to ensure continuous operations during severe weather.
The facility also features a 95-by-13-foot video wall capable of displaying multi-source live data feeds, weather monitoring, GIS mapping, and real-time incident tracking, as well as two loading docks accommodating 53-foot trailers to streamline resource distribution and deployment.
