When Hurricanes Come Ashore on the Alabama Gulf Coast, Time and Again, the brunt of the storms often hit the Mobile Bay area, knocking out power and wreaking havoc across the state's second-largest city.

As part of efforts to restore electric service as quickly, safely and efficiently as possible after devastating storms, Alabama Power (Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.) recently opened a new state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center (EOC) in the company's Mobile division. Built to withstand Category 5 hurricanes with winds up to 170 mph (274 kmph), the facility will provide shelter and increased safety for first responders who remain in the city to evaluate damage and restore power in the aftermath of storms.

The Mobile division Distribution Operations Center (DOC) is also housed in the facility. It operates around the clock to manage and maintain the electric distribution system, which provides power to more than 230,000 customers in southwest Alabama. Because it can be self-sufficient under emergency conditions, the facility is the first of its kind within Southern Company's four-state service territory. Alabama Power is a subsidiary of Southern Company (Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.), which serves nearly 4.4 million customers in the southeastern United States.

KATRINA SETS THE STAGE

Hurricane Katrina slammed the Gulf Coast in 2005 and forever changed Alabama Power's emergency-response contingency plans for the Mobile division. At the time, the DOC was located on the fourth floor of the Mobile division office, the headquarters for the company's 4000-sq mile (10,360-sq km) southwest Alabama service territory. Additionally, the storm emergency-response team, activated when severe weather is predicted, worked on the same floor.

Situated about 10 ft (3 m) above sea level, the division office is at the north point of Mobile Bay, two blocks from the Mobile River and 35 miles (56 km) from the Gulf of Mexico. Despite its proximity to the river and the coast, floodwaters had never breached the building since it went into operation as a small coal-fired generating plant in 1906.

According to documented records, Mobile has been hit by hurricanes 40 times since 1837. Many of those storms — including major unnamed hurricanes in 1906 and 1926, as well as Frederic in 1979, Elena in 1985 and Georges in 1998 — have occurred since the Alabama Power building was constructed. And yet, water never seeped into the building.

But when Category 3 Hurricane Ivan came ashore 20 miles (32 km) east of Mobile in 2004 and storms Arlene, Cindy and Dennis hit within 50 miles (80 km) of the city in the early 2005 hurricane season, Alabama Power's emergency-response contingency plans were thoroughly tested. These plans provided that, for storms with winds predicted above 130 mph (209 kmph), control of the area's electric system would be transferred to the company's DOCs located farther inland. Despite those close calls, the Mobile division Power Delivery Distribution team was confident it was prepared and could weather any storm. That was until Hurricane Katrina hit on Aug. 28, 2005.

IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH

Hurricane Katrina was expected to come ashore about 50 miles to 100 miles (80 km to 161 km) west of Mobile, so Alabama Power decided to allow the local DOC to maintain control of the system. Even if flooding occurred in the city, the storm team felt secure, knowing the DOC was located on the fourth floor. But just in case of an unexpected emergency, a lifeboat was stationed at the building.

When Katrina made landfall in Mississippi, Mobile experienced a 12-ft (3.7-m) surge tide. Meanwhile, winds of nearly 100 mph (161 kmph) battered Alabama Power's Mobile division office. By lunchtime, water had flooded the basement and was about 2 ft (0.6 m) above the first-floor level. It knocked out distribution service as well as the emergency backup generator that powered the DOC, and activated the fire-alarm system. The building was evacuated until the water could be pumped out and the generator restarted.

It was safe for the DOC employees and first responders to return to the building by 5 p.m. There was no air conditioning and the elevators were out of order, making working conditions uncomfortable. For the first time in more than 100 years, the division office was flooded, setting the stage for the budgeting and construction of the EOC.

The active 2005 hurricane season and the massive evacuations that took place before each storm were also factors. The frequency and severity of the storms changed the mindset of Mobile citizens and Alabama Power employees.

The community had faced major and minor hurricanes for years. But in 2005, citizens who normally rode out the storm instead evacuated the city, causing road congestion. Among the evacuees were many Alabama Power employees who left Mobile to find a safe haven for their families.

The heavy traffic made it difficult for employees to return to work to help restore service. In some cases, it took three days for them to reach the Mobile area. Alabama Power management realized that, in the future, road congestion would continue to be an issue in the aftermath of storms. It was clear that a stand-alone emergency-response facility was needed to provide safety and security to employees and appropriate service to customers.

Alabama Power decided to build a new EOC, which would also house the DOC, behind its Hillcrest office in west Mobile, which is 15 miles (24 km) inland and 202 ft (62 m) above mean sea level. During the planning phase, the DOC and storm team leaders put together a wish list of features for the facility.

A SELF-SUFFICIENT BUILDING

The 11,000-sq ft (1022-sq m) building, constructed by Ben M. Radcliff Contractors Inc. (Mobile), is made of concrete blocks reinforced with 6-inch (152-mm)-thick concrete panels. The window panes are capable of withstanding flying objects, and the concrete roof is designed to tolerate wind-lift up to 250 lbs (113 kgs).

The facility is self-sufficient. It is equipped with a backup electric generator that has enough fuel to last 48 hours. There is also a backup fresh-water supply and a sewage tank with a capacity of 15,000 gal (56,781 L). Provisions have been made in case food cannot be delivered in the aftermath of a hurricane. Stored at the facility are enough (ready-to-eat) meals to feed 100 employees for two days to three days.

As an added precaution, three forms of external and internal communications serve the facility. Under normal circumstances, the DOC receives and sends data through a digital microwave tower atop the nearby Hillcrest office and through Metro-Ethernet. If there is no power, an on-site digital satellite dish can be deployed, providing uninterrupted communications with the outside world.

A LOOK INSIDE

The new building includes a dorm room that sleeps about 90 first responders and contains shower and laundry facilities. These features allow employees to remain on-site, so they can be ready to roll as soon as safely possible after storms. There is an all-purpose room where first responders can eat their meals and watch the weather on TV. Under routine conditions, the auditorium, which seats more than 50, is used as meeting space.

The DOC — the portion of the facility in use every day — has provided employees with a home of their own, where there are fewer interruptions and workers can more easily focus on the job at hand. The DOC was designed with large windows and an open floor plan, which makes it aesthetically more appealing and helps improve morale. Because of the nature of DOC jobs, employees work at their computers for an entire shift and rarely leave their desks. Having the opportunity to look through a nearby window helps prevent them from feeling out of touch, they say, even though they are confined to the office.