Meet the NT operations team on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic

At the Emergency Operations Centre in Berrimah, the Territory’s top operational managers are helping NT authorities respond to the evolving coronavirus pandemic.

The Coronavirus Emergency Operations Centre at full operation at the Peter McAulay Centre in Berrimah. Picture Katrina Bridgeford.

THE Territory’s top operational managers have been gathered in the Coronavirus Emergency Operations Centre, set up at the Peter McAulay Centre at Berrimah police station, to help authorities adapt to the evolving coronavirus pandemic.

At any given time up to 18 representatives from logistics, emergency services, welfare and media work in the room, bringing together news as it breaks and formulating plans in response to the virus.

The central hub, which has previously been set up for weather events including recent cyclones Marcus, Trevor and Esther, sees each manager report anything regarding pandemic planning and preparation on an NT basis back to their larger teams off-site, developing responses and procedures to the ever-changing pandemic.

Incident controller Tony Fuller said the morale at the EOC was positive under such challenging circumstances.

“The room is full of very diverse Territorians and characters doing their utmost to protect their way of life and the NT lifestyle and ultimately their families,” he said.

“The EOC operates 24/7 and the public can be assured that each government agency is using all their resources to protect all Territorians and visitors.”

Responding to the Australian chief medical officer Brendan Murphy and Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s changing regulations and recommendations, it’s a seemingly never-ending task with no end date in sight.

But in warding off the coronavirus, these are our frontline responders.