Visitor Emergency Operations Center
Hawaii Volcanoes

Funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, the $5.8 million Visitor Emergency Operations Center (VEOC) is home base for nearly 25 staff, including law enforcement and eruption duty rangers, fire managers, and dispatchers for the 24-hour Pacific Area Communication Center.

The VEOC serves as the command center during major park incidents that include volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildland fires, hurricanes, air accidents, and search and rescue operations. There are training, conference, and interview rooms and a holding cell for those detained for investigative purposes. 

The VEOC qualifies as a green building under Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED). Planning and construction employed strategies that matter most – energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts.

back to recent projects

Sam O. Hirota, Inc. 

The firm provided project management with civil-related coordination, scheduling, and planning; preparation of a site layout plan showing computation ties, dimensions and other layout requirements for the horizontal alignment of the proposed building, parking areas and sidewalks; site grading and drainage; utility layout plan for domestic water connection, fire protection, drainage and sewer systems; and an Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG) Path Design.