Cayuga County has operated without a permanent emergency operations center for two years, according to The Citizen, and now local leaders are pushing for $3 million in federal funding to build one.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand submitted the funding request through Congress’ appropriations process. County officials want to build the facility at the public safety campus in Sennett after the former emergency bunker inside the county office building closed in 2024.
Emergency Services Director Riley Shurtleff said the new center would coordinate disaster response, public communication, and recovery efforts during major emergencies. The funding request still needs approval from congressional appropriators, and the final amount — if any — remains uncertain.
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