Gloucester County now has an adequate space to coordinate emergency functions the next time disaster strikes.

The county recently opened its new Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the 4,000-plus-square-foot basement of the Emergency Communications Center (ECC), located adjacent to the Gloucester Sheriff’s Office.

The Gloucester County Board of Supervisors authorized just over $600,000 in 2013 to build out the space in the basement, which includes a bunk area, small kitchen, emergency services offices and a large multipurpose meeting room that houses the coordination efforts in an emergency situation.

Also included in the new EOC is its own call center. When it is functional, residents can call a special telephone number that will be activated in times of emergency for up-to-the-minute information on damage, shelters and other safety concerns. “This will take a load off of the (sheriff’s office) dispatchers during an event,” said Gloucester’s emergency...