The state emergency operations center has been activated at a low level for now because of winter weather blanketing portions of the state, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management officials announced Wednesday afternoon.
The center activated at a level two, which means limited state agency representatives are available for requests for assistance, Arkansas Department of Emergency Management spokesman Rick Fahr said.
"We have four levels from 'nothing's going on' to 'full blown everybody is there,' the entire staff and [representatives] from different agencies," Fahr said.
The department isn't a first-response agency, Fahr said, but rather a "broker" for people who need resources during an emergency.
Fahr said an example would be during winter weather, a city may have power outages and need a warming center. In that case, the department would put the city in touch with the Red Cross, other volunteer agencies and private businesses to create the center and provide resources for it.
The only agency with a representative at the center currently is the Arkansas National Guard because a small number of troops have been activated to assist law enforcement in the southern part of the state, Fahr said.
The department also works with the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department, Arkansas Forestry Commission and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission during winter weather emergencies, Fahr said.
At about 1:45 p.m., the Department of Emergency Management has had no requests for assistance, but Fahr said the center would operate on a limited basis in case those requests come in later.
Fahr said in a news release that Arkansas Department of Emergency Management will make a decision later about continuing operations at the emergency center overnight.