Hugo A. Sepúlveda 
Valeria Tokun Haga/THE RIDER
The City of Brownsville broke ground Sept. 17 for the future Public Safety Complex which would house all the emergency services for a better response.
According to a Sept. 18 news release, the complex will be located at the Greater Brownsville Incentives Corp. Tech Park, located at FM511 between Old Alice Road and Paredes Line Road.
“The 99,980 square-foot, two-story facility will serve as a centralized hub for vital public safety operations, bringing together the Brownsville Police Department, Fire/[Emergency Medical Services], the Office of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, and the Information Technology and Cybersecurity Department,” according to the news release.
The building is expected to be finished in three years after construction begins.
The Rider tried to contact Mayor John Cowen and former City Manager Helen Ramirez for more information about the future facility. As of press time, they were unavailable for comment.
Eugenio Cardenas, deputy chief for the Fire Department, said the department, at the moment, has two separate locations, at 1150 E. Adams St. which is the administration office and the prevention office at 10th and Levee streets.
“So, they’re separated from us just because of space,” Cardenas said. “… What’s gonna happen with this complex is that it’s gonna accommodate … into one area.”
Cardenas added this would improve communication by making processes more efficient.
“The big key here is that it’s gonna be easier to communicate with PD, with Emergency Management and all work together for the citizens of Brownsville,” Cardenas said.
He said the Fire Department wants “to make it more accessible to our citizens.”
Abril Luna, public information officer for the Brownsville Police Department, said the complex is a “state-of-art” facility.
“It’s a complex [for] all emergency management,” Luna said. “So, we will be able to have an enhanced collaboration and strengthen our ability to meet the growing-answer for [the] community.”
According to the public information officer, the building aims to modernize the public safety services.
“The way we function right now, for example, we respond to a major accident, so once we get there, [the Fire Department] still has to be dispatched,” Luna said. “So, once we have that building all together … everything gets sent out at the same time.”
She added the facility would allow emergency services to adjust to the growing need of the community, and residents can expect “more effectiveness” at responding to emergency calls.
“We’re very excited,” Luna said. “… It’s all about modernizing and having better equipment to better serve our community.”
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