PORT ANGELES — Law enforcement officials and the governor’s husband were on hand Thursday to kick the tires of Clallam County’s new command center on wheels.
The Incident Command Vehicle, to be used by emergency response agency leaders when directing responses to natural disasters, major fires, car accidents and criminal investigations, may resemble other motor homes tooling around Clallam County.
But with its rubber floor, multiple radio connections and satellite technology, in reality it’s more of a high-tech office on wheels.
“It’s not your grandparents’ motor home,” said Clallam County Sheriff’s Sgt. Nick Turner with a smile, who was on hand to look over the newest addition to county’s emergency response arsenal.
Mike Gregoire on hand
Mike Gregoire, husband of Gov. Christine Gregoire, was in Port Angeles to meet with county officials and took a tour of the 30-foot Incident Command Vehicle.
“It’s reassuring how on top of it folks are up here,” Gregoire said.
Costing about $130,000 and paid for with grants from the federal Department of Homeland Security and the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program, the mobile command vehicle features a radio system that can link the communication units of several agencies at once.
“It’s a been a big issue for first-responders,” said Joe Ciarlo, manager of the Clallam County Department of Public Works Emergency Management Division.
Powered by a 10 kilowatt, gas-powered generator, the mobile unit features a satellite dish that provides Internet and phone access.
It has two flat-screen television monitors, a fax machine and a large dry erase board that allows what people to write and draw on it to be electronically transferred to a computer printer.
It is also capable of linking up with an amateur radio, or ham radio, emergency system.
There is even a small kitchen area and a rest room.
