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School Command Center To Open

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By RONNIE BLAIR

The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 2, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - One hint that the Pasco County School District's computer system was at risk came during the 2004 hurricane season when a leaky roof forced the district to shut down its mainframe computer system and cover equipment with plastic sheeting.

The district's telephone system wasn't well-protected against powerful storms, either.

All calls from the district's schools flowed through equipment in a wooden structure in Land O' Lakes, a building that couldn't withstand much wind, said Bruce Baldwin, the district's director of information services.

Officials feared a hurricane easily could knock out the district's computers, Internet service, e-mail system and telephones, an especially troublesome scenario because many of the schools are used as hurricane shelters.

The solution: The district recently completed construction of a 5,238-square-foot telecommunications building to house telephone and computer equipment, along with student records and the data processing operation.

The building, built for about $3.8 million and able to withstand winds of 170 mph, is designed to allow the district to keep its key instructional, business and communications systems running, even if a major hurricane hits.

About 40 miles of communications cables run through the building, Baldwin said. The district handles about 150,000 calls a day and more than 100,000 e-mails.

"Every school in the district comes back to this center," Baldwin said. "Every bus garage in the district comes back to this center."

The building, designed by Williamson Dacar Associates and built by Creative Contractors, has a generator and battery backup system. In addition, the building includes an area district officials could use as a command center during a storm.

The school district plans a dedication ceremony at 8 a.m. Tuesday. The building is at the district headquarters at U.S. 41 and Gator Lane in Land O' Lakes.

Superintendent Heather Fiorentino and Pasco County School Board members are among those scheduled to attend the dedication, which is open to the public.

Refreshments will be served after the ceremony and tours of the building will be conducted until noon.

Reporter Ronnie Blair can be reached at (813) 948-4218 or rblair@tampatrib.com.

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