Suffolk Fire & Rescue Deputy Chief Brian Spicer briefed city leadership in the Emergency Operations Center on Wednesday as the city prepares for the effects of Hurricane Florence.

The Emergency Operations Center is a permanent fixture in Suffolk, and it is used for all potential hazards to the city.

“When we set up the Emergency Operations Center, we set it up to deal with anything that might impact the community,” Spicer said. “The purpose for Hurricane Florence is to coordinate with city leadership.”

During the hurricane, leadership will gather at the EOC to allow for easier communication between departments.

The center is located at the King’s Fork Public Safety Center, which also includes Fire Station 6 and Suffolk Fire & Rescue administrative offices.

“It’s a hardened facility, and it is more substantial than a normal building. We have a backup generator indefinitely, and we have phone lines along with satellite phones,” Spicer said. “It allows for the opportunity for all the leadership to be in one space to manage the emergency.”

Prior to meeting Wednesday in the EOC, the city was using a virtual Emergency Operations Center over the last few days to begin the planning process.

The virtual EOC allowed for them to get on conference calls or video chats while City Hall was still open.

“We were doing web meetings and conference calls, because we all couldn’t be in one space,” Spicer said. “We are making use of technology to prepare for the storm’s arrival without being in one location.”

While the Emergency Operations Center generally allows people to tour the facility, it is not accessible to the public during the hurricane, Spicer said.