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Okaloosa gets $1.2 million for hurricane stronghold
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July 11th, 2008
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Okaloosa gets $1.2 million for hurricane stronghold
July 11, 2008 - 8:10PM
Andrew Gant
Daily News
NICEVILLE - A $1.23 million federal grant will jump-start construction of a hurricane fortress, ecstatic public safety officials said Friday.
The federal Emergency Management Agency awarded the funds for Okaloosa County's new Emergency Operations Center, lawmakers announced.
The EOC will be built in the southwest portion of the Niceville campus of Northwest Florida State College, formerly Okaloosa-Walton College.
Officials broke ground for the project in late June, but construction has been on hold until FEMA's funding was announced.
The final figure was a pleasant surprise for county Public Safety Director Dino Villani, who had been expecting closer to $1.1 million.
The grant is planned to cover 75 percent of the cost to fortify the EOC above and beyond Florida's building code.
Standard state code requires the building to withstand 130 mph winds. Villani said the new EOC will endure 190 mph winds and accommodate 200 emergency workers outside of the storm surge zone.
A Category 3 hurricane brings winds up to 130 mph. Category 5 winds are listed at 156 mph and up.
The 25,400-square-foot center will house a 24-hour 911 dispatch center. It will be built adjacent to the college's 74,500-square-foot arena and a classroom for ROTC and wellness courses.
U.S. Rep. Allen Boyd's office announced the award, but it was news to Villani and county Emergency Management Coordinator Ken Wolfe when they were reached Friday afternoon.
Wolfe said Boyd, D-Monticello, U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Chumuckla, and U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez had pushed hard for Okaloosa to receive the grant.
Daily News Staff Writer Andrew Gant can be reached at 863-1111, Ext. 1432.
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