The Arkansas Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) Headquarters was designed by WER Architects in association with Staikos Associates Architects to provide a secure, resilient, and technologically advanced home for the state’s emergency management operations. Located in the heart of Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, the facility serves as a critical component of Arkansas’s emergency preparedness and response infrastructure.

The hardened headquarters is approximately twice the size of ADEM’s previous facility near Conway and accommodates 77 employees across two floors. The program includes a state-of-the-art Emergency Operations Center, command center, training rooms, and administrative offices, providing a centralized environment for coordinating emergency response activities, supporting staff operations, and conducting ongoing preparedness training.

Resiliency and continuity of operations were central to the facility’s design. The hardened structure was engineered to withstand significant external impacts and maintain essential operations during emergency situations. The Emergency Operations Center incorporates advanced telecommunications and communications technology, allowing personnel to coordinate statewide response efforts and maintain reliable communication when conventional systems may be compromised.

The facility was also designed to operate independently of external utilities for an extended period, providing critical operational continuity during disasters and other emergency events. This self-sufficiency, combined with the hardened construction and advanced communications infrastructure, allows ADEM personnel to remain operational when Arkansas communities need emergency management resources most.