Southern Illinois emergency responders will soon have a new emergency and critical response center.
Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced Monday a $4.5 million dollar in vestment to help build a Regional Emergency Response Center at the Southern Illinois Airport. Quinn was joined Monday by area first responders, Murphysboro, Carbondale, and SIU officials at the university's Transportation Education Center.
The 50,000 square foot hangar-style building will be located between the National Guard facility at the airport and the airport's existing public works building. About 10,000 square feet of the facility will be used as a communications and command center for the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency, the Jackson County Ambulance Service and Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.
Murphysboro Mayor Will Stephens says a study conducted by the airport and the Jackson Growth Alliance recommended the development of a regional response center. Jackson Growth Alliance Executive Director Jeff Doherty says the airport will provide a centralized location for emergency agencies to coordinate their efforts in response to regional disasters.
