BARTLESVILLE, Okla. — Washington County leaders opened a $6.6 million emergency response center. Officials said it will mean a faster and more organized response to disasters with bigger communication offices, facilities, and training spaces.
Joseph Briancoppenger, a Bartlesville resident, said he was there when the EF-4 tornado struck his town.
"Just a mess, everybody was outside looking, trees were down," said Briancoppenger.
Nacy King said she also experienced the devastation of the event.
"I mean, it was just enormous… It was a pretty traumatic thing," said King.
Kary Cox, the Washington County emergency management director, said they worked hard to bring the new space into operation.
"We put a lot of effort and planning for this," said Cox.
He gave 2 News a tour of the 23,000-square-foot facility. It features new meeting areas, offices for the Cherokee Nation, and spaces for training and development.
WATCH: Washington County opens new $6.6M Emergency Center
King said this was a significant step towards better safety.
"I think they need it around here because we've had a lot of damage happening," said King.
Cox said that the tower on top of the building allowed them to communicate with neighboring counties and state emergency management.
"Any kind of entity that helps, I think, is a good thing," said Briancoppenger.
The new emergency is located along Southeast Bison Road, just off Highway 60. Cox told 2 News that the facility was funded with federal dollars.
Cox added that it also came with new beds, laundry space, and storage rooms for equipment.
King said she had questions about the new location.
"Do they have the people to take the calls for the people who need help? Hopefully they have they have crews," said King.
2 News asked Cox if the facility will also have a bigger staff.
"It did not increase our staff, but it did increase our space to work in," said Cox.
Cox said their previous building was about a quarter of the size of the new one—an investment not just for now, but for future generations in Washington County.
"Of course, they need something good for the county for sure," said King.
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