In today’s world we deal with issues never before anticipated…acts of global terrorism, a sensitivity to energy consumption, an international economy in disarray, disruption of technology (the internet) by disgruntle groups and individuals, etc., etc. Many of these we can address, given sufficient time and the commitment of appropriate resources. One area of specific concern is how counties and cities develop facilities to accommodate critical infrastructure. In many instances the “issues” noted above have a direct impact upon these facilities, primarily associated with survivability, hardening, security and similarly related elements. All of these have a direct impact upon facility cost and must now become a point of early discussion when developing project programs and budgets. A Communications Center, as an example, significantly increases in cost, when factoring in the additional expenses of a building that must be designed to resist the dynamitic forces of a Category 5 storm event….or a series of surge waves from an adjacent body of water.
What we have found and what we clearly recommend is that governmental entities should carefully consider the premise of co-siting critical infrastructure services; such as Communications, Information Technology, Records, Fire Administration, Financial Services, Law Enforcement and Emergency Management. Those critical services, when appropriately accommodated in a “survivable” structure, will be there and able to function, before, during and after a catastrophic event. The ability to continue to provide critical services is, and will be, the responsibility that we must endeavor to accomplish.
I.S.K. Reeves V, FAIA
President