[Scan-DC] NEW P.G. MOBILE COMMAND UNIT

[Alan Henney]

-----Original Message----- 
From: PrinceGeorgesCountyMedia
[mailto:PrinceGeorgesCountyMedia at co.pg.md.us]
Sent: Wed 12/14/2005 4:50 PM
To: PrinceGeorgesCountyMedia
Cc:
Subject: Press Release - PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS UNVEILS NEW
MOBILE COMMAND UNIT

PRESS RELEASE

For immediate release:
December 14, 2005

For more information:
John E. Erzen
Press Information Officer
Prince George's County
Office of the County Executive
301-952-2657, cell, 240-508-4491
jeerzen at co.pg.md.us

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS UNVEILS NEW MOBILE COMMAND UNIT

UPPER MARLBORO, MD - The Prince George's County Office of Homeland
Security, Public Safety Communications recently unveiled the new
mobile command unit, to provide a transportable communications /
command vehicle, to all units of county, state and municipal
government during an emergency or disaster and during civic events
within Prince George's County.

"This vehicle is critical to our homeland security efforts in Prince
George's County," Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Vernon Herron
said.  "It is the only vehicle in the National Capital Region that has
9-1-1 capability.  This vehicle allows us to be mobile because we can
take it anywhere and set it up."

The mobile unit was designed to mirror the emergency 9-1-1 and
dispatch center.  This allows a transportable communications system
that can provide a temporary back up to the 9-1-1 center in the event
of an equipment failure or a situation that renders the facility
inoperative.

The vehicle will allow coordination of a major emergency or disaster
between all departments and agencies that are involved in mitigating
the incident.  The vehicle has an emergency response time of
approximately 15 to 30 minutes and can be set up at the Command Post
as a communications or command unit.

The mobile unit has several components including two permanent radio
dispatcher positions, two additional temporary radio dispatch
positions, three command positions, programmable portable radios,
satellite phone system with outside lines, a fax machine, a weather
station, a broadband satellite dish for high speed data and satellite
phone service, six independent Dish Network TV satellite feeds, Police
Air One helicopter down link,  two pan, tilt and zoom cameras with
night light capacity and external video and audio capability.

This vehicle is the only one in the region with the ability to handle
9-1-1 calls.  A brand new vehicle with all of this equipment would
cost approximately $1.5 million, but since this vehicle was put
together using a majority of equipment already owned by the county, it
cost only $360,000.

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