VIDEO: Florida’s Central Operations & Coordination Office is now open in Polk County, with state officials saying the large new facility will bolster response to future storms. Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie made the announcement at a news conference in Auburndale on Thursday. Guthrie says the Central Operations & Coordination Office is a warehouse and staging area measuring more than 400,000 square feet.
The new facility has room for more than 300 personnel, 100 sleeping quarters, and 400 trailers. Officials also say the warehouse is stocked with essentials like food, water, flood-prevention resources, and generators. During Thursdayโs news conference, Guthrie touted the capacity of the new facility, along with its central location in the heart of the I-4 corridor. “This is more than a building,” Guthrie said. “Itโs a strategic expansion that places logistics and personnel where they can have the greatest impact. It is an investment not just in emergency management, but in the safety and resilience of this community, as well.”
