July 7, 2023
Regional Consolidation Partners & Lake County Break Ground on ROC Facility
After years of planning and research, Regional 9-1-1 Consolidation Partners and the Lake County Board joined together to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Regional Operations and Communications (ROC) Facility on July 7.
The 37,426 square-foot facility, termed the “ROC” will be built next to the Lake County Central Permit Facility in Libertyville. The facility is designed to house a consolidated Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP), the County's Emergency Management Agency (LCEMA), and the supporting staff and technologies. It will bring together highly trained experts and state-of-the-art technology to coordinate resources, information, and emergency communications and management all under one roof.
“The Regional Operations and Communications (ROC) Facility is a critically important infrastructure project that will enable our first responders – law enforcement, fire, EMS, and dispatch - to respond more quickly to emergency events across Lake County and the region," said Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart. “The ROC Facility will be a model of excellence and will bring greater coordination and collaboration between the vital agencies who are dedicated to serving our Lake County residents."
“This is a very exciting day for Lake County," said Sheriff John D. Idleburg. "The ROC is coming to fruition thanks to countywide stakeholders and legislators who have a strong desire to keep the community safe. This building will house dedicated staff who will utilize the most state-of-the-art public safety technology. We are very proud and thrilled to see ground broken on what will be an incredible public safety facility.”
On average, there are 85,000 emergency calls every year in Lake County, with 7,000 of those calls requiring mutual aid from surrounding agencies. Every time a call is transferred, valuable minutes can be lost leading to emergency response delays.
“When responding to a public safety emergency, minutes matter,” said Greater Round Lake Fire Protection Chief Greg Formica. “This new facility will bring the necessary resources to the right place in the shortest amount of time, providing for the best possible outcome. In the end, this can be lifesaving.”
Coordination between community partners is critical when responding in emergency events, whether local or regional. Within this new facility, participating agencies will have an unprecedented opportunity for seamless information sharing and collaboration between first responders.
“The Lake County Emergency Telephone System Board (LCETSB) has always supported the concept of consolidating ETSB, 9-1-1 and EMA into one facility,” said Lake Zurich Police Chief and Lake County ETSB Chair Steve Husak. “Because these independent entities will share one space, there will be collaboration among dispatch, law enforcement, fire, EMS, and other first responders. This will lead to a more effective public safety response for the participating partners and the communities they serve.”
“Because Lake County Emergency Management and the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be in the same building as the consolidated 9-1-1 and ETSB, we will have increased insight into information and data that will enhance coordination, support and response actions across the County during disasters and other emergency events, “ said Dan Eder, Lake County Emergency Manager. “We are proud to share this space with the other partnering entities and look forward to 2025 when the building opens.”
Financial assistance for this project includes a $1 million Emergency Operations Center Grant obtained by U.S. Congressman Brad Schneider, $2 million from the Illinois Clean Energy Communities Foundation Grant, $5 million Lake County Emergency Telephone System Board commitment, a $30 million Lake County General Obligation Bond approved by the Lake County Board and additional monies contributed via Lake County’s Capitol program and the American Rescue Plan Act.
It is anticipated that construction will be completed by December 2024. The ROC building is scheduled to open in 2025.
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