Gov. Tony Evers declares a public health emergency due to COVID-19 March 12 in the State Emergency Operations Center. Wisconsin Emergency Management photo
“Your continuous selfless service and sacrifice alongside others over the past 100 days of this pandemic is more than commendable,” Dr. Darrell Williams, Wisconsin Emergency Management administrator, said to workers in the SEOC. “Some may see 100 as just a number, but that would diminish the weight of all that’s been accomplished by the people who’ve put their lives on hold, spending time away from their families to guide the state’s response to COVID-19.”
Wisconsin Emergency Management administrator Dr. Darrell Williams speaks with local media after the State Emergency Operations Center was elevated to a Level 1 activation March 16. Wisconsin Emergency Management photo
State Emergency Operation Center Manager Paul Cooke, Wisconsin Emergency Management director for the Bureau of Response and Recovery, addresses the SEOC in the early days of the activation. Wisconsin Emergency Management photo
During the first few weeks of the state’s COVID-19 response, agencies working from the SEOC stood up surge capacity and isolation facilities, implemented a procurement and distribution system for scarce but critical resources, and distributed guidance on a significant number of COVID-19 related topics. This complex response effort was an adjustment for veterans of past SEOC activations.
Wisconsin Emergency Management responded to widespread flooding across southern Wisconsin over several days in June 2008. Wisconsin Emergency Management photo
Cornell soon transitioned to working remotely, assisting with the FEMA public assistance declaration process and with the State Recovery Task Force. She relied heavily on Mission Support, or the Information Technology team, responsible for coordinating the technology response for COVID-19.
Mission Support supervisor Lisa Gustafson in the State Emergency Operation Center. Wisconsin Emergency Management photo
Technology — and more specifically, telecommuting — is the new normal in 2020, and plays a key role in keeping state government running during the pandemic.
“Mission support is proud of the way the SEOC performed from a technical standpoint,” Gustafson said. “We have a battle rhythm now, and at day 100 things are relatively calm from an IT perspective.”
Level 1 calls for 24-hour operations, but the overnight shift was eliminated April 24 with the duty officer providing SEOC coverage remotely. The night shift was reinstated May 30 for situational awareness and resource support in response to the civil unrest occurring in the state. Today, the SEOC is back to business hours, and weekend hours are covered by the duty officer. But WEM staff know the mission is far from over.
“Going forward, our role will be to assist our state and local partners in adjusting to the ‘new normal’ of life with the threat of COVID-19 outbreaks a possibility,” Cooke said. “While the SEOC still receives and assigns requests for outbreak and community testing, and continues to distribute personal protective equipment, WEM will be shifting more resources towards long-term recovery. I can’t imagine what our review of this response will look like with all of our moving parts during the response!”
That’s very much on Gustafson’s mind as well.
“When the incident is over, Mission Support will have hours of work to get the SEOC back to the pre-incident state,” she said.
In the near future, Cornell will be working with 14 counties on the COVID-19 public assistance federal grant process. But this weekend, her mind is very much on her father.
“This response has changed our daily lives in many ways, both in the SEOC and with our families at home,” Cornell said. “Until this past week, I had not seen my 84-year-old father since I had lunch with him on March 10.”