Day to day operations are conducted by departments and agencies that are widely dispersed throughout the City. The Emergency Operation Center (EOC) is a location from which centralized emergency management can be performed during a major emergency or disaster. This facilitates a coordinated response by the Director of Emergency Services, Emergency Management Staff and representatives from organizations who are assigned emergency management responsibilities. The level of EOC staffing will vary with the specific emergency situation.

An EOC provides a central location of authority and information and allows for face-to-face coordination among personnel who must make emergency decisions.  

The following functions are performed in the City of Torrance's EOC:

• Managing and coordinating emergency operations.
• Receiving and disseminating warning information.
• Developing emergency policies and procedures.
• Collecting intelligence from, and disseminating information to, the various EOC representatives, and, as
  
  appropriate, to County and State agencies, military, and federal agencies.
• Preparing intelligence/information summaries, situation reports, and operational reports.
• Controlling and coordinating, within established policy, the operational and logistical support of departmental
  resources committed to the emergency.
• Providing emergency information and instructions to the public, making official releases to the news media.