New Emergency Response Command Center of Tehran

Construction of the new building for Tehran Emergency Response Command Center (ERCC) started from 2006, under a three- year project, with the objective to provide possibility for TDMMO and other related organizations to perform a centralized coordination and to command natural disasters incidents in Tehran.

In disaster management, it is crucial to have a reliable and equipped building that benefits from all the facilities required for establishment of Setad (the Headquarter meeting by presence of all the representatives of disaster management related organizations following occurrence of disasters for integrated management of disasters). In this way, by achieving overall data, information and documentations, and also through joint coordination, guidance and direction of operations which is of great importance in risk management, the optimal management of disasters will be inevitable. ERCC can help prompt activation of Incident Command System (ICS) and may prevent erroneous and/or parallel operations, avoid interference and density of staffs at sites, and decrease waste of time and energies. Moreover, technical activities of organizations and companies which are working in urban management system will be in line and more synchronized with other organizations and other organizations' operational staffs and through this, the goal for centralized and integrated management in the time of occurrence of disasters may be achieved.

The ERCC building is a completely unique one which has been constructed according to missions defined for it. The building will be operational without any damages in case of occurrence of earthquakes with the possibility of 2% in every 50 years. Also ERCC facilities and equipments will provide opportunities for constant presence of members of the team, at least for one week, without any need to others. Through its high standards, ERCC will provide continuous services in time of occurrence of earthquakes with Maximum Probable Magnitude.

The Tehran Emergency Response Command Center (Disaster Room) which constructed in a 2500 square meter area with 3 stories includes basement, ground floor and first floor, has different parts such as incident command room, operational experts room, IT, satellite, telecom and electronic systems compartments, rest rooms, equipment and instruments warehouse and places for other required services.

Since this building, without any major structural or non structural damages e.g. performance disorders in IT, telecom and other electronic systems, should provide continuous services after devastating earthquakes, therefore, special structural preferences even beyond building codes (2800 codes) has been done in order this building become the most seismic resistance building in Tehran. In the process of site selection, different criteria have been considered such as prompt accessibility to the highways and being far from high- rise buildings.

Also ERCC may be utilized in case of National Disasters and occurrence of devastating earthquakes in different parts of the country.

Published at May 17, 09