Fire Department dedicates Emergency Operations Center

By BRITTANY FHOLER 
Cove Leader-Press 

The city of Copperas Cove and the Copperas Cove Fire Department held a ceremony dedicating the Emergency Operations Center/Training room at the Central Fire Station to the Citizens Fire and Public Safety Volunteers Association Tuesday evening. 
The room, which will continue to be utilized as a training room for CCFD personnel for fire and EMS skills, is wired and set up to be operational during an emergency situation. The main EOC is located at the Copperas Cove Police Department, so the one at the fire station will be the alternate. 
“Should things go wrong, should things happen, this room could be spun up. It’s already wired and is all set up to be an alternate Emergency Operations Center, but we prefer to do all our business at the P.D. because we don’t want to get our place dirty,” Copperas Cove Fire Chief Michael Neujahr joked. 
Mayor pro tem Dan Yancey read a proclamation dedicating the room in recognition of the Citizens Fire and Public Safety Volunteers Association, which was established March 15, 2003 as a volunteer support group in Copperas Cove for first responders. 
The mission of the CFPSVA is “to provide a support role wherever they are called upon by the fire department, police department or the community,” according to the proclamation. 
The organization also “promotes a positive image of fire prevention, law enforcement, community emergency response team and disaster preparedness,” Yancey said. 
Following the proclamation, Neujahr presented CFPSVA president James Stockton with a commemorative plaque from the Copperas Cove Fire Department to show the department’s appreciation and support of the group and to recognize the group’s support of the fire department. The plaque will hang in the alternate EOC/training room. 
“Many members of the group are part of the emergency management volunteer group which supports Deputy Chief Gary Young’s Emergency Management roles, and they do a fantastic job and we know that if we ever have to activate the Emergency EOC in an actual emergency, they’re going to be there to back us up,” Neujahr said. “And we appreciate the heck out of them.”
Neujahr shared all that the Citizens Fire and Public Safety Volunteer Association does for the CCFD, from providing logistical support with food and water at major incidents to helping with Christmas parties and buying the firefighters presents. 
Stockton shared that the group helped provide food, water and a place to relax for first responders during the Harmon Road fires over the summer. 
In addition to helping the fire department, they also help the Copperas Cove Police Department with the Citizens Police Academy and helps man the water stations during the bike races held by the Chamber of Commerce. 
“It’d be easier to say what they don’t do,” Neujahr said. 
Following the ceremony, there was a potluck dinner provided by the Citizens Fire and Public Safety Volunteer Association.