Governor Quinn Announces Investment to Build Emergency Response Center in Southern Illinois

CARBONDALE - Governor Pat Quinn today announced a $4.5 million investment to develop an Emergency and Critical Response Center at the Southern Illinois Airport in Carbondale. The center will consolidate the region's emergency medical and disaster response resources in one location, and its development at the airport will accommodate all types of civilian and military emergency response efforts. Today's announcement is part of Governor Quinn's agenda to ensure the safety of all people in every community across Illinois.

"A quick and coordinated response to disasters saves lives and protects property," Governor Quinn said. "Protecting the safety and well-being of all residents is our top priority and we can never be too prepared. This regional response center will help first-responders offer vital emergency and disaster services to the thousands of residents in the area."

The $4.5 million investment from Governor Quinn's Illinois Jobs Now! capital construction program will develop the Regional Emergency Response Center (RERC) at Southern Illinois Airport to consolidate much of the emergency and critical response services for the region. This will include a permanent Emergency Management Center, a field hospital, teaching center and a regional response center for large-scale natural disasters.

The 50,000-square-foot RERC hangar building will be located between the existing Public Works Building and the National Guard facility at the airport. Approximately 10,000 square feet of the hangar will be designated as a communications and command center for the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency, the Jackson County Ambulance Service and Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.

The development of the RERC was recommended in a plan developed by the Southern Illinois Airport Authority, Jackson Growth Alliance and former SIU Chancellor Sam Goldman. The plan was praised in an October 18, 2013 editorial by The Southern Illinoisan as "a worthy investment considering the amount of money a thriving hub like this could generate for the local economy in the future."

"Investing in this project strengthens our public safety and education systems," SIU Board Chairman Randal Thomas said. "I want to thank Governor Quinn for his vision, leadership and partnership with SIU on this project."

"The Regional Emergency Response Center is an integral part of the Southern Illinois Airport Development Plan," Jackson Growth Alliance Executive Director Jeff Doherty said. "The airport provides a centralized location for emergency agencies to coordinate their efforts and effectively respond to regional disasters, and the project will have an economic development impact by providing jobs during construction. The Southern Illinois Airport Authority and Jackson Growth Alliance work together to promote the development of the airport and southern Illinois region, and this investment will further contribute to those efforts."

"Southern Illinois sits on a fault line, and we need to be prepared for any emergency that may occur as a result," Former SIU Chancellor Dr. Sam Goldman said. "The airport is the most advantageous point for an area to pull together resources and planning, because of the ability to fly in supplies and help. The Regional Emergency Response Center will allow us to begin to pull together all the resources in a very critical area."

"Southern Illinois is no stranger to disasters, and this critical investment will improve an already vital staging point for our response efforts, undoubtedly saving lives and property in the region," Illinois Emergency Management Agency Director Jon Monken said.

The RERC project is part of Governor Quinn's $31 billion Illinois Jobs Now! program, which will support more than 439,000 jobs over six years. Illinois Jobs Now! is the largest construction program in Illinois history, and is one of the largest construction programs in the nation.