Congressman Neguse Secures $138,557 in Federal Funds for Gilpin County Emergency Operation Center

Washington, D.C.—This week, Congressman Neguse secured $138,557 in federal funding to support the Gilpin County Emergency Operations Center. Gilpin County is a small rural community with limited resources. Currently they are using an EOC-in-a-box concept, the setup of which takes valuable time and energy away from response efforts. Having a permanent location for emergency support coordination will save time, allow for more effective responses, and, ultimately, produce better post-disaster outcomes for the community.

In total, Congressman Neguse secured over $7 million in funding for community projects in his district that will be funded by Congress in FY 2022. The omnibus package passed the House last night and now heads to the Senate where swift passage is expected.

“For 517 days during the height of the pandemic, Gilpin County ran an emergency COVID-19 operation out of one room. The federal funding will allow them to expand their space, upgrade communication services and ensure proper COVID-19 precautions can be utilized,” said Congressman Joe Neguse. “With all that our emergency personnel are doing amidst historic wildfires and a pandemic, it’s crucial they are equipped with the space and resources to keep our communities safe.”

“This is a valuable step forward to create Gilpin County’s first dedicated Emergency Operation Center space,” said Sandy Hollingsworth, Chair of the Board of Gilpin County Commissioners. “It will benefit residents and local businesses through a multi-agency response coordinated from a central location. Our Emergency Manager, Nate Whittington, visualized this concept and pursued this grant. It is to his team’s credit that we have made great strides in coordinated emergency and disaster planning and response. Gilpin County is very appreciative to be one of the ten projects in Representative Neguse’s district receiving Community Projects Funding! Thanks for this opportunity.”

“Gilpin County is on the edge of being ready to support our community in our greatest hour. This award supports the county's milestone, a fully functioning, ready-to-go Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Before this award, the EOC was packed away when not being activated. This room will serve as a critical coordination center during emergencies and allow planning meetings, training, and support for our local volunteer groups. We have seen what devastating disasters can do to our communities across the front range. Having a centralized facility that can support emergency response is critical, and the recovery efforts may take months to years to complete,” said Nate Whittington, Director of Emergency Management. “Thank you so much, Congressman Neguse, for your proactive approach and foresight in need of this project and to secure the funding.”

Neguse submitted several Community Project Funding requests to the Appropriations Committee, and has had remarkable success advocating for projects in Colorado’s 2nd District. The Gilpin County Emergency Operations Center is among the 10 Neguse-sponsored projects to be funded in FY2022.