DETROIT – As the effort to track the coronavirus amps up, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has activated the state’s Emergency Operations Center.
Help Me Hank is taking viewers behind closed doors to see how local, state and federal agencies are working together in the state-of-the-art facility to monitor the virus and coordinate the plan to keep residents safe.
The Emergency Operations Center is high-tech and can withstand the strength of an earthquake or a flood. The people inside work around the clock to keep the state safe. They respond to disasters, emergencies and terrorist events.
Right now, all eyes are on a massive coronavirus tracker, with the latest numbers provided by Johns Hopkins. The virus is tracked as it moves across the United States and the world.
Whitmer activated the operations center to stay one step ahead of the virus. Last year, it was activated in response to frigid winter temperatures.
Members of the Health Department and federal agents will gather the latest information on the virus and act if it makes its way to Michigan.
When they learn of a new case in another state, those inside the operations center work to figure out how it was spread and what’s being done to keep the nearby public safe. They’re essentially learning in real time and want to know as much as possible, just in case it becomes an issue here at home.
To see inside the operations center, watch Hank Winchester’s video posted above.