The Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center will deliver state-of-the-art science and response information to emergency managers and other critical stakeholders to help them make timely decisions to protect and restore the Gulf Coast before, during, and after emergencies.

The 15,000-square-foot facility in Mobile, Ala., which opened in December 2011, will serve as a direct link between NOAA science and decision makers, whether they are public health officials, oil spill response coordinators, fire chiefs, emergency management directors, or national security officials.

The Gulf of Mexico region, in particular, experiences frequent natural and human-caused disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and oil spills, which can leave lasting effects on vital economic drivers like fishing, boating, and tourism. The Disaster Response Center aims to reduce the impacts by helping to prepare federal, state, and local decision makers for a variety of threats, thereby creating more adaptive and resilient coastal communities.

Learn more about the Gulf of Mexico Disaster Response Center and why this resource is so necessary for the region.