County Executive Falk Shows New Emergency Mobile Command Unit

October 29, 2004
Sharyn Wisniewski, Office of the County Executive (608) 267-8823
County Executive

Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk, joined by emergency first responders, today gave media a look at the county’s new Mobile Command Unit for responding to large scale emergencies in the county. “This command center enhances our ability to respond to situations that endanger public safety or property,” said Falk. “This mobile unit accomplishes three things. We get state of the art technology. We have better emergency communications within the county. And, we save each community from having to purchase its own command vehicle.” The 40-foot vehicle with two side slide-out rooms, can function as a mobile backup to the 911 emergency dispatch center, has satellite and cell phones, telescoping camera, emergency lighting, full galley and lavatory, fax and printing capability. Specifications were developed to meet the needs of multiple agencies including fire, law enforcement, emergency medical services, public health, and emergency management. It provides a unified command site for local, state and federal agencies, and enhances coordination at an emergency site. This shared resource will be available for use by all response agencies in the county, with requests made through the 911 Communications Center. The $400,000 unit was purchased entirely with federal Homeland Security grant funds. No local tax dollars were used. A Wisconsin company, Lynch Diversified Vehicles (LDV) of Burlington, Wisconsin, engineered and built the vehicle. Dane County Emergency Management Director Kathy Krusiec said a nine-member planning committee met numerous times over the past 18 months to develop criteria and specifications for the center. Members of the planning committee include: Capt. Randy Gaber, Madison Police Department, Duke Ellingson, Public Safety Communications Director, Jerry Stein, Dane County Fire Chiefs Association, Gary Zieler, Dane County EMS Association Capt. Ron Boylan, Dane County Sheriff’s Office Johnnie Diamante, University of Madison Police Dept. Chief Randy Pickering, City of Fitchburg Fire Department Tim Hillebrand, Dane County Emergency Medical Service Kathy Krusiec, Dane County Emergency Management # # #