Ocean City Marylands Mobile Communications Truck

[organized_mayhem]

The primary purpose for this vehicle is to provide a stand-alone communication system that could be used after a weather related event if radio communications systems are disrupted. It also functions as another backup PSAP dispatch center. Every time a major storm hits an area, the reports are that communications were lost, including the recent storm in Kansas. This vehicle is also designed and ready to respond to the Eastern Shore and beyond. We hope that it is never needed for such a major disaster but include this tool in our emergency plan to help respond and recover if needed. I also think that some homeland security spending was ridiculous, but not in this case. This forum is for people that spend time scanning radio calls and know the value and mission critical nature of radio communications.

While thats what it is designed for it will most likely be rarely used if ever. They will roll it out to all the public safety events to say "look what we got". But in the end it will really be a complete waste of money like that big piece of junk that the state spent 1.15M of my tax money on. Give it about 10 years of sitting there and they will sell it to the highest bidder and replace it with an even bigger waste of money.

 

[Grog]

While thats what it is designed for it will most likely be rarely used if ever.

Do you have a fire extinguisher? How often do you use it? If you don't have one and need it, you'll wish you had one. :roll:

 

[Mark]

Good articles today about Homeland security spending by small Delaware beach towns just North of OC.
An eye opener...
http://www.delawareonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS/70506008

Mark

 

[organized_mayhem]

Do you have a fire extinguisher? How often do you use it? If you don't have one and need it, you'll wish you had one. :roll:

Its only good if you can get to it. If there is that much wide spread destruction, most likely your mobile command unit probably took a hit as well. As well as some of the towers/ communications centers rendering most trunked systems worthless. For the cost of these things they are not even close to being worth it. I'll worry about fire extinguishers when they cost me millions. Apples to oranges.

 

[EDACSTECH]

Its only good if you can get to it. If there is that much wide spread destruction, most likely your mobile command unit probably took a hit as well. As well as some of the towers/ communications centers rendering most trunked systems worthless. For the cost of these things they are not even close to being worth it. I'll worry about fire extinguishers when they cost me millions. Apples to oranges.

Most coastal storms arrive with several days notice that allow the vehicle to be moved out of harms way. The towers and communications centers taking a hit is exactly why we have a trunked site & dispatching equipment installed on the vehicle. I do agree that the cost is very high along with most other insurance.

 

[maus92]

A mobile command / ecc vehicle for a jurisdiction that has a likely potential for a natural disaster is a good investment - along with triple redundant fixed-based assets and a workable and practised disaster plan.

That said, a hostage recovery vehicle and SWAT teams for every local jurisdiction is a complete waste of money. These types of assests are best employed on a regional/statewide basis.

If you want an example of wasteful spending, check this out. Staunton VA equiped its line officers with assault-type rifles in addition to shotguns in their patrol vehicles in response to an analysis performed after the Columbine seige. The study suggested that the initial responding officers were unable to respond effectively because their shotguns and handguns were out-ranged by the well-armed (yet untrained) "goths." So the department spend grant money to buy weapons that will probably never be employed. Even more ironic is that Staunton is not so far from Blacksburg....

CA
Annapolis

 

[ocguard]

EDACSTECH, Does the 4-channel system on the command unit use frequencies from the city's system, or independent? If independent, can you share them?

 

[EDACSTECH]

EDACSTECH, Does the 4-channel system on the command unit use frequencies from the city's system, or independent? If independent, can you share them?

The trunked system on OC1 is a subset of the Ocean City frequencies. The system is configured two ways.
1. Same system ID so any OC radio can associate without user intervention. This would be used if the city system failed. This vehicle system could be activated and a city-wide all call could be sent alerting the users.
2. Different system ID that works with programming in all OC radios and radios issued from the vehicle. This would and could be used as a hole filler along with the city system.