The Park City Police Department wants to bring a regional emergency operations center to the area. The department told the Park City Council Thursday the facility could support responses to wildfires, natural disasters and the 2034 Winter Olympics.
Chief Wade Carpenter says the region doesn’t have a dedicated facility where agencies can coordinate during major emergencies or securely receive supplies and resources.
“If we had a major fire, like we have going right now, and they deliver food, water, they have to drop those in unsecure areas,” Carpenter said.
The discussion comes as the Rocky Canyon Fire has burned nearly 16,000 acres in Summit and Morgan counties since it sparked Aug. 7. The blaze also evacuated about 500 residents and thousands of livestock.
Carpenter said an emergency center would come in handy right now. It would have been helpful during the 2021 Parleys Canyon Fire as well, when the area had around 300 tents set up across 40 acres.
The center also could have supported the region during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We also had to take over the ice arena and part of the hospital during COVID vaccinations, and so that really put these other areas in a tight spot,” Carpenter said.
When not in use for an emergency, Carpenter said the center would support daily operations for the police department as well as the Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Park City Fire District and other regional partners.
It could also be used for training, dispatch operations, wildland fire response and backup information technology facilities.
Carpenter said with the Olympics coming to town in 2034, an emergency center would be especially important.
“That corridor on [state Route] 248, we have a real concern on that area because we could become landlocked,” he said.
While the plans are preliminary, Carpenter asked the council to consider using some of its land for the center. The city owns two parcels at 700 Round Valley, east of the Peace House. The fire district also has property nearby.
