DHSEM Activates Emergency Operations Center for Primary Election Monitoring

The New Mexico Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (DHSEM) activated its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to a Level 3 status Tuesday as officials monitored Primary Election Day activities across the state.

According to DHSEM, the activation was intended to maintain communication among local, county, state and federal partners while ensuring support resources were available if needed.

While the term “Emergency Operations Center” is often associated with wildfires, floods and other disasters, officials noted that a Level 3 activation represents enhanced awareness and monitoring rather than an emergency response.

DHSEM describes its activation levels as:

Level 4 – Normal Operations
Routine day-to-day operations.

Level 3 – Enhanced Awareness and Monitoring
Increased situational awareness and coordination among partner agencies while standing ready to provide support if needed.

Level 2 – Partial Activation
Selected personnel and emergency support functions are activated to coordinate response activities.

Level 1 – Full Activation
The Emergency Operations Center is fully staffed and activated for major incidents requiring significant coordination and support.

Emergency Operations Centers serve as coordination hubs rather than field-response units. During activations, personnel gather information, communicate with partner agencies, track developing situations and coordinate resources when requested.

The Election Day activation reflects a preparedness posture rather than a response to a specific incident. By operating at Level 3, DHSEM was able to maintain enhanced monitoring and communication capabilities throughout the statewide election process while remaining ready to escalate if circumstances warranted.