Providence, R.I.: A Model for Public-Private Partnerships in Emergency Management

A major snowstorm ravaged New England in December 2007. The storm hit Providence, R.I., especially hard, creating extensive evacuation delays and leaving residents stranded for hours. Following this event, Providence Mayor David Cicilline, the Providence Emergency Management Agency (PEMA) and state organizations recognized the need to enhance emergency management capabilities and restore public trust in the city by demonstrating their commitment to improving emergency preparedness and showing that a similar event would not paralyze the city.

Providence is one of a few cities in America where the state capital and its economic center are both located in the state's largest population center. This combination magnifies any emergency management problem by simultaneously affecting commerce, inconveniencing a large portion of the population and potentially paralyzing state agencies and the seat of government. Providence learned from this situation and forged ahead with improvements to its overall public safety and security and began construction of a new Emergency Operations Center (EOC).

Go to Emergency Management magazine's Web site for more information about Providence's Emergency Operations Center.