City of Walla Walla studies WWCC site as possible home for emergency services

WALLA WALLA – Walla Walla City Manager Elizabeth Chamberlain updated the Walla Walla City Council on Monday on the progress of finding a new home for the Walla Walla County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and Walla Walla Emergency Services Communication Center (WESCOM), also known as dispatch.

During her quarterly report, Chamberlain noted that a feasibility study is currently underway to determine if a building on the Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) campus can house both EOC and WESCOM.

The city is currently investigating the technology building on the WWCC campus as a potential location. The facility is located behind WWCC’s nursing building.

Chamberlain added that the feasibility study aims to determine if the building can be brought up to the specific safety and operational codes required for emergency management offices. Most of the technology building is currently unused by the college, making it a viable candidate for repurposing. Preliminary assessments of the building have been completed, but the city is still awaiting a final report on the total scope of work needed.

The push to renovate an existing building comes as the city works to retain federal funding for the project. Chamberlain emphasized that focusing on the technology building is currently the most practical alternative to constructing a new facility from scratch.

The city still has access to $1.7 million in federal grant money specifically designated for this project. If the college building is found to be feasible, the city intends to revise the grant description to ensure the funds can be used for the necessary renovations.

Photo of the Technology Center via WWCC

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Elkhorn Media Group