One would think it was almost planned for dozens of residents to be hunkered down in one of Alachua County’s safest buildings during a tornado watch to learn how officials respond to local emergencies.

But one thing you can’t control is Mother Nature.

Week two of Alachua County’s Citizen Academy kicked off Thursday at the Emergency Operations Center, at 1100 SE 27th St. in southeast Gainesville, where participants got an up-close look into public safety and how fire rescue, the sheriff’s office and others respond to emergencies and natural disasters.

The eight-week educational course, run by Alachua County Strategic Performance Manager Donna Bradbrook, partners with local constitutional officers, judicial officers, library district, school board and health department to give residents a unique opportunity to learn about various aspects of local government and the daily activities performed by some of the county’s top officials.

“Session 2, like all sessions, builds on what we learned the previous week and shows how taxpayer dollars are put to use with our first responders,” Bradbrook said. “I always enjoy coordinating with our county firefighters, paramedics and the sheriff’s office to take us outside of our classroom-style training and help us better understand their daily challenges in the field and for their willingness to answer an abundance of questions.”

Fire Rescue

The session started with Alachua County Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Taylor, who shared how the department has grown since its inception 50 years ago. He spoke about ACFR’s budget, the cost of equipment, growing response calls and the new stations being added throughout the county, including the sparklingly new Station 80 in southwest Gainesville.

Attendees were broken up into groups with firefighters and paramedics who showed off some of the tools the department uses in the field, including oxygen tanks and hydraulic rescue tools, a.k.a. the “jaws of life.”

The class then made its way outside before a torrential downpour to tour an Alachua County fire truck and ambulance, learning first-hand the array of different equipment and tools readily available for any call.

“Everything we do is to support our folks to be able to go out and deliver good timely service to you. You’re what we’re here for,” Taylor told the room.

Learn more about ACFR in the feature story “The Ordinary and the Extraordinary.”

Watch the ribbon cutting of the new ACFR training center.

Emergency Management

David Peaton, the county’s assistant director of emergency management, gave participants a rundown of how the EOC building operates, and how his office helps with preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation efforts.

Depending on the damage of the incident, the recovery process can take months, years or even decades. The team helps connect residents with FEMA for assistance, debris management, housing and food needs.

During a major weather event or large-scale emergency, the EOC must be activated within one hour of notification and be able to maintain operations throughout the event. That sometimes means staffing the EOC and having people remain on duty and sleep on site. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the EOC was activated for 27 weeks, the longest streak in Alachua County history.

Peaton also discussed the renovations of several locations (other than schools) throughout Alachua County that can operate as shelters if needed. Those sites include the MLK Multi-Purpose Center, Sidney Lanier Center and the Freedom Community Center. Grace Marketplace is also currently being retrofitted to serve the community.

Learn more about Emergency Management and how to be prepared.



Sign up for alerts and notifications in your area by texting “Alachua” to 888-777.

Sheriff’s Office

The session ended with a visit from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, an agency that, between law enforcement and jail operations, makes up the largest share of the county’s budget.

The class again split into groups, one touring the combined communications center, which handles 911 and non-emergency calls, regardless of the responding agency. Calls are then dispatched to the nearest available units. With a plethora of screens and information to review, the dispatcher sends notes to the responding agency to help them better serve the caller upon arrival.

Special thanks to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office for above two images

The other half went outside with a deputy to tour one of the sheriff’s office vehicles, fielding a host of questions, including preferred protocols for drivers being pulled over or how body cameras work.

Sheriff Emery Gainey introduced himself to the room as the final speaker and said his agency’s number one priority is keeping the community safe. He, too, took a range of questions about the state of the office, staffing, responding to mental health episodes and gun violence.

Learn more about ASO.

Read about Session 1 of the Citizens Academy.

For more information, contact Alachua County Public Information Officer Andrew Caplan at 352-264-6975 or [log in to unmask].

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in order to participate in a County program, service or public meeting, please contact the Alachua County Equal Opportunity Office at (352) 374-5275 at least 2 business days prior to the event. TTY users, please call 711 (Florida Relay Service).