Lafayette County EMA Does More Than Plan For and Respond to Disasters

By Alyssa Schnugg

News editor

alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

The goal of an Emergency Management Agency is to save lives when there is a major disaster, whether man-made or weather-related.

Steve Quarles has a second goal that he strives to accomplish in his role as Lafayette County’s Emergency Management Director – to help the county save money.

With the help of others in his department, he has been successful in securing millions of dollars of federal funds to help boost the county’s emergency response equipment and most recently, $3 million for the construction of a new Emergency Operations Center.

The funds come from a 75/25 grant which requires Lafayette County to chip in an additional $1 million.

“So, it will be a $4 million dollar facility,” Quarles said. “We actually requested funding for this through our Representative Trent Kelly and he helped us secure that grant.”

The new EOC will likely be located south of the Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena. Quarles and his staff are currently working with the county’s Planning Department on completing the site plan to present to the Lafayette County Board of Supervisors for their approval.

The facility will house the EMA offices and a command center to be used during an emergency and classroom space for training opportunities when there isn’t an emergency event. There will be a 10,000-square-foot shed attached to the main building to house emergency response equipment and vehicle, like the county’s mobile command unit.

The structure will be built to storm shelter standards.

“Having an EOC that fits up to 50 people will help us be able to operate whether it’s a state of emergency or a federal emergency where we have FEMA here, we can support them and have a localized command center,” said Lafayette County Public Information Officer Beau Moore.

Lafayette County was one of two counties in the entire United States to get a $3 million grant for an EOC.

Quarles and his staff secured another $286,000 in federal grant funds in 2022 that included reimbursement of costs associated with using the county’s Command Truck during the COVID-19 pandemic, $58,000 toward a 1-ton truck for hauling equipment and a $118,000 grant for a metal, storm shelter that will be built at the Lafayette County Business Complex off F.D. “Buddy” East Parkway.

“It will be able to house about 95 people,” Quarles said. “We’re going to put it between the Justice Court and the DHS (Department of Human Services) building.”

Quarles said that in between planning, preparing and training for disasters, he and his staff are working long hours to recoup and offset county expenses by applying for state and federal grants.

“We see that as one of our main jobs,” he said. “To recoup funds when we can and use those funds to address future emergencies.”

Quarles is assisted by his two deputy directors, Jeremy Abbott and Stephen.