The U.S. Coast Guard command center previously attached to Sector Columbia River in Warrenton has relocated to Portland.

The command center, formerly at the Astoria Regional Airport, guides information and monitors and coordinates all operations within the sector. Along with the shift to Portland, the command center has also been consolidated with the center attached to a Coast Guard air station at North Bend.

The transition was made official last week.

“This really gives us the opportunity to uncross some wires that existed from having two, not competing commands, but two commands on the same Oregon Coast that had shared areas of responsibilities but separate chains of command,” said Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Anthony, the senior officer in charge of command center operations.

The move to consolidate was done to improve the efficiency of operations, Anthony said.

“Really, it’s all about streamlining,” he said. “Finding efficiencies, streamlining efficiencies to ultimately deliver better service to the coastal communities and those along the Columbia River and the Snake River as well.”

One area that could see benefit from consolidation is search and rescue, Anthony said, which is among the leading missions for the Coast Guard on the Oregon Coast.

Outside of a new phone number, not much will change within the services the Coast Guard contributes to the region.

“No degradation in services provided to the public, provided to the marine transportation system,” he said. “The folks that are along the Columbia River and up and down the coast will see the same level of service, only a more efficient level of service for them.”

Several other organizational changes could come following the command center consolidation, Anthony said.

Some divisions, like the incident management division that primarily deals with pollution response, will be shifting much of its department to Portland to meet the needs of that sector.

For three months, the previous phone numbers for command centers in Warrenton and North Bend will reach Portland. The new number for emergency response is 833-769-8724 or 833-PNW-USCG.