Go-24 said:
Lordy, thats a lot of money for bragging rights; I guess as a non-fire fighter I dont understand the reason for having this apparatus. I mean heck what were they doing before they got this that made them think they needed this?
If you are a non-firefighter there is much about fire suppression you would not understand the need for. At large incidents the command post and incident base can be very large and include many things the public would not understand. When you have been a firefighter on large fires working a wide variety of ICS (Incident Command System) positions you understand the need for every person, every van and trailer, and each piece of equipment. Most county and municipal command vans have other equipment besides radios in them such as satellite phones, copy machines, and fax machines. Orders for logistical supplies (tools, water, food, parts, maps, etc.), resources [crews, engines, dozers, shower trailers, caterers, helicopters, FLIR flights (forward looking infared radar), and other overhead and command personnel] are made using the fax and by computer if access to the Internet and email are available. Also resources are tracked using computers.
The TV's are often monitored by communications personnel with the sound off and when they see something that might have to do with the incident they are working they record it. Later a IIO (incident information officer or sometimes called a PIO or public information officer) may review the news segments recorded and call in with additional information or corrections to the TV stations.
Additionally there are working stations for other planning section personnel such as the situation unit leader who keeps track of the size and location of the incident and adjacent areas that will be affected by or are affecting the incident. The situation unit leader also prepares maps and other displays needed for the operations plan, incident information, and at the incident command post. The resource unit leader is in plans also and tracks the resources on the incident and those requested by the operations section in order to handle the incident. The resource unit leader also prepares the operations plan for each shift. The planning function needs counter space to accomplish there tasks. Then there are administrative tasks such as timekeeping and a financial unit that pays vendors such as the private dozers and water tenders.
When an incident becomes larger and more complex all of these functions cannot be carried out in a command vehicle like the one shown. At that point additional office type trailers are brought in and the command van is used strictly for incident dispatch. Each function then needs individual trailers to work out of with planning, logistics, finance, command, public info, supply, each needing working space. If trailers are not available tents are set up depending on the location. If it is hot air conditioned trailers, rather than a large dark green canvas tent (that seems to be what is usually available) are preferred as people don't work very well at tasks requiring concentration when they are in a work space that is 90-110 degrees.
During my career with the Forest Service I had 6 positions on my incident qualifications card (commonly called the "red card" due to its color). They were situation unit leader, resource unit leader, incident information officer, crew boss, strike team leader - crew, and security officer. I worked very small incidents by myself all the way up to a 1/2 million acre fire in Yellowstone in 1988 in eight different states on a total of 108 fires. I got around and saw how the incident command system works, the facilities, people, and equipment needed to manage a large incident. I've been on initial attack on a small incident and watch it grow from a couple of crews, 3-4 engines, and a helicopter, and grow into a major incident with a incident base of 3,000 people all within 2-3 days. It is quite a sight to see.
If you haven't walked in the shoes of a firefighter who has gone through similar experiences like mine, seeing pictures of a couple of guys sitting and talking, with a TV tuned to a sports event, while eating breakfast can be taken out of context. These people may have worked several days on long shifts, 12-24 hours, in the midst of trying to make order out of chaos. When the incident begins to wind down people begin to have time to get out their cameras and take some pictures that they could not during the tense and busy times. This is very typical for the incident photos I've looked at over the years.
Make sure that when you see photos like the one in this thread to keep in mind "the big picture" and not take things out of context. Agencies usually don't have adequate resources to handle the full extend of the situations they face and don't have the time or money to obtain equipment such as this command trailer unless the need for it is demonstrated over and over again.