FEMA, Region VI provides assistance to the South Central Region of the United States and has its headquarters in Denton. The States in Region VI are Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. They also provide assistance to 66 federally-recognized Tribal Nations.

Their mission is to reduce the loss of life and property and protect institutions from all types of hazards by leading and supporting the Nation in a comprehensive, risk-based all-hazards emergency management program of mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. The FEMA staff of 100 full-time employees is located in Denton, Texas. During Presidentially declared disasters, the Region also draws on a cadre of over 500 Disaster Assistance Employees (DAEs) or "reservists."

Additionally, Region VI is one of only five regions that house Mobile Emergency Response detachments. The Denton Mobile Emergency Response Support (MERS) provides mobile telecommunications, operational support, life support, and power generation assets allowing on-site management of disaster and all-hazard activities.

Rumors

There are many rumors about the Denton FEMA location. It is the center of just about every local conspiracy theory.

It is believed by some to have secret underground tunnels and go at least 6 stories deep. FALSE

TRUTH: It is a former Civil Defense location.  called The Federal Center in some photographs.  Photographs of construction available via texashistory.unt.edu.  News articles at the time of construction say it is two levels deep.

Newspaper article, written by Eddie Hughes:  Alternate Capital - Underground CD Fortress being built near Denton

A virtual buried city is being built near this 2-college town, so strong and self-sustaining that it could well become an alternate national capital.  The underground fortress will, within a year, become the home of Southwestern headquarters for the Office of Civil Defense Mobilization.  But in the event of enemy attack, it would be the control central for all federal agencies in the Southwest-and even the nation, if necessary. 

Frank B. Ellis, national OCDM director, viewed the plans Saturday for the $2,500,000 subterranean structure during a brief first-time visit to Denton.  He announced to OCDM officials here that the contract for this control center would be awarded this month, but he offered no more details.  The Denton underground structure is due to be completed in June 1962, the first of such fortresses to be built at all eight regional OCDM headquarters.  Ellis noted a number of reasons why the Denton-based region headquarters was designated by Congress to get the first control center.  Besides its central geographic location, he said, the fortress will have the protection of an already completed NIKE missile base. 

Too, it is some 35 miles from the target area of Dallas and Fort Worth, but still close enough to utilize the transportation, communications and other facilities of the two metropolitan cities.

The vast fortress here is capable of accommodating 500 persons on an emergency buttoned-up basis for 30 days, and some 200 persons for a much longer period.  Not all of the center is underground.  Above the surface will be offices, a public reception center, and a snack bar.  While this "exposed" facility could well be blown away in event of atomic attack. its loss would not hamper the operation of the 2-story underground center.  Fresh air is controlled by air intake and exhaust valves that prevent blast pressure from entering the center.  The underground fortress is not a rock-ribbed structure, since planners have designed it so it will be able to be moved sideways 1/2 inch and vertically 1   3/4 inches  without breaking up.  Even that movement is very unlikely, OCDM officials claim, since the center will be able to withstand the blast of a 20 megaton H-bomb only three miles away.  That compares to the 20 kiloton atomic bomb that hit Hiroshima-1,000 times less in destructive force. 

The all-important communications center will be located on the upper level of the underground facility.  Every teletype machine and radio set features compactness.   This is the heart of the underground center.  Its primary communications network is the National Communications System (NACOM I); its 22,000 mile long private lines hook into the President's classified headquarters in Washington and all regional and state OCDM headquarters.   Alternate circuits-NACOM II and III-will supplement NACOM I in case of national emergency.; linking together all civil defense headquarters via high-frequency radio. 

Welcome W. Wilson, the Southwestern (Region 5) OCDM director here, said the Denton facility would probably be third in line as the President's headquarters.  "Primary control in case of national emergency will be the President's classified location near Washington,: Wilson said.  "If it becomes inoperative, control will be immediately assumed by the OCDM national headquarters in Battle Creek".  Should Battle Creek become inoperative, Wilson said control would be shifted to Denton.

Some people believe they breed and mutate strange animals. FALSE