LAKE WORTH BEACH, Fla. — As hurricane season approaches, Palm Beach County communities are receiving a major investment aimed at strengthening how they respond to storms and other emergencies.
WATCH BELOW: 'Of the big project this money will be funding the EOC part of that building,' Mayor Betty Resch tells WPTV's Vannia Joseph
More than $4.2 million in federal funding, secured by U.S. Rep. Lois Frankel, D-Fla., will support four local projects focused on disaster response, flood protection, and infrastructure improvements across the county.
The funding will be distributed across several municipalities, including the following:
$1,034,487 for the City of Greenacres to develop and construct an Emergency Operations Center
$1,034,487 for the City of Lake Worth Beach to develop and construct an Emergency Operations Center
$1,034,487 for the Village of Wellington to develop and construct an Emergency Operations Center
$1,145,144 for the Boynton Beach Community Redevelopment Agency to replace the commercial seawall at Boynton Harbor Marina
Officials said the new Emergency Operations Centers will serve as critical command hubs during hurricanes, flooding events, and other public safety emergencies, helping first responders and local leaders coordinate in real time.
In Lake Worth Beach, city leaders said the funding marks a long-awaited step forward.
For years, the city has operated its emergency response out of a small, secure room inside its water treatment plant—handling operations independently, but without a dedicated, hardened facility.
Mayor Betty Resch said the new Emergency Operations Center will be part of a larger public works expansion project that has been in the works for years.
“Of the big project this money will be funding the EOC part of that building,” Resch said.
She added that the city has already begun the bidding process to determine construction costs.
“We have the bids out now to get the bids back for how much it's going to cost to build it, and then we'll discuss the funding,” she said.
Until the new facility is built, the city will continue using its current setup.
“Before this is going to be built, what we do is we go to the water treatment plant, the most secure room in the building is there, and the staff works out of that,” Resch said.
While the system has worked, she acknowledged it comes with challenges—particularly when it comes to communication and coordination during fast-moving storms.
“We've got to get the city going as quickly as we can after a natural disaster, that's the goal,” she said.
Strengthening storm response across the county
Officials said the investment comes at a critical time, as South Florida faces stronger storms, rising sea levels, and more frequent flooding.
The Boynton Beach seawall project, for example, is designed to protect nearby homes, businesses, marina operations, and public waterfront access from storm surge and long-term sea level rise.
Overall, leaders said these projects will help communities respond faster during emergencies, protect critical infrastructure, and recover more quickly after disasters, while also supporting local jobs and safeguarding public spaces.
Resch said while there is no exact timeline yet for Lake Worth Beach’s new Emergency Operations Center, she is hopeful it could be ready by next hurricane season.
