Collier County's Mobile Command and Communications Center was designed in-house, following disastrous wildland fires in 1989. The vehicle is built on a John Deere chassis, with an aluminum/wood/foam composite box. The vehicle is 33 feet long, 96 inches wide, and is powered by a Ford 460 cubic inch V-8 engine. A full fuel load is 60 gallons of unleaded gasoline, which provides a one tank range of about 350 miles. Pneumatic jacks on all four corners provide a stable operational platform. A full emergency response lighting system of strobes, bars, wig-wag high beams, and a 100 watt siren/PA surrounds the vehicle.  The vehicle was designed for operation under the Incident Management System (formerly called Incident Command System, or ICS), and provides air conditioned work space for a 6-8 man command staff, and 4 communications operators. Outside additional protected workspace is available under a 20 by 9 foot roll up awning. A 20 KW generator is capable of providing all the power needed, and then some. Image by Peter Pye, KD4LXZ

The command staff area in the rear of the bus provides workspace for the Incident Commander and his immediate staff. Maps, a copier, fax, computer, telephone service, office supplies and status boards are all available for the staff. A televison, VCR and AM/FM receiver provide the ability to monitor local radio and television accounts of an emergency, or the ability to play and record surveillance/reconnaissance video. A small refrigerator is also located here, along with storage space for supplies and even blankets and pillows in the event of a protracted event.

The comm center was designed to provide communciations on a wide scale of responses, from hurricanes, to multi-casualty accidents, to large fires and hazmat incidents to plane crashes. A locally designed, power assisted fold-over telescoping 40 foot tower is mounted on the roof. Multi-band antennas are used where possible. A combination of roof mounted and tower mounted antennas are used. Tower mounted antennas are disconnected en route. Power for all electronics is provided by three 4D batteries mounted under the floor streetside. Chargers trickle charge the batteries while parked, or hard charge when needed while in use. All electronic installation and tower design by Naples Two Way Radio, Naples, Florida (239) 774 7373.
The rundown:

Positions 1 and 2 - PUBLIC SAFETY Position 1 uses roof mounted antennas  Position 2 uses tower mounted antennas

Two highband VHF 65 watt radios
One UHF 65 watt radios
Two 800 mHz trunked 30 watt radio
One low band VHF radio 65 watt radio




Position 3 - LIAISON Combination of roof and tower mounted antennas

Aircraft radio, 10 watt
Marine radio, 25 watt
One UHF 65 watt radio
One low band VHF radio
One two meter all mode (amateur) radio
One 160 watt two meter all mode amplifier
One HF all mode 100 watt radio with tuner




Position 4 - ARES/RACES Combination of roof and tower mount antennas

Two meter FM and packet, 45 watt radios
UHF Amateur FM and packet, 35 watt radios
One six meter FM 65 watt radio
One HF all mode 100 watt radio with tuner
One all mode TNC (KAM) for HF/VHF/UHF
Telephone patch




SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS The Mobile Command Center also carries, as a backup, a satellite telephone and trunked satellite communications with the EOC, surrounding counties and the State EOC. A small dish which automatically "finds" the satellite is located at the back left of the bus, on the roof (the white radome is visible just to the right of the vertical HF antenna). The satellite communucations system provides an emergency link home in case all others fail.

VHF/UHF/800 mhz antennas are primarily triband or quadband designs to help minimize the number of antennas needed on the vehicle. Aircraft, marine and television antennas are monobanders. HF antennas are 23 foot marine whips which are stowed along the street side in transit, and deployed upon arrival. A dipole antenna is carried in storage for deployment, and experimental HF antennas for use in motion are under test. The two meter single sideband antenna is a single bay "Sqloop" by M2 antennas of Fresno, California. Range on 2 SSB is consistently 100 miles with 160 watts.  (During the summer of 2000, a 13 element beam and rotor were added at the EOC at a height of 165 feet.  Fed with hardline and 160 watts, the effective radiated power is estimated at around 4 KW, further insuring communications between the EOC and Mobile Command even when HF conditions are marginal.)

The basic tower structure itself is a standard design of Aluma-Tower of Vero Beach, Florida. Forty feet high, it supports a quad band vertical on top, and two triband antennas sidemounted near the top of the structure. The deployment design of the tower was done by Glen Fadden W2CXX, the owner of Naples Two Way Radio.
 

In transit the tower is stowed horizontally on the curb of the roof, in a custom designed track. Deployment begins with a motor assisted winch rolling the tower back about 8 feet, to a point where the pivot point is just aft of the back wall of the coach. A boat hook is used to pivot the tower to vertical, and it is locked to the bumper manually with two bolts. The color coded antenna feed lines are connected, then a second winch, driven by an electric drill, raises the tower to it's full height. As the top moves out of the lower section, the two sidemounted antennas are gravity deployed on panametric arms away from the tower itself.

Stowing the tower is simply a matter of reversing the process. The sidemounted arms stow themselves as the tower is lowered. Once it is ready for travel, a stainless framework around the antennas at the front of the vehicle protect the antennas from being snagged by low tree branches.   Images by Peter Pye, KD4LXZ

The forward position provides an excellent view for the driver in emergency response, but adds seating for 3 - 4 more personnel once on scene. At least two can be seated on a bench seat behund the driver, while both the driver's and navigator's seats swivel to provide operational seating as well. The front compartment is equipped with a trunked 800 radio as well as a high band VHF rig. A separate cell phone is also available at the driver's right hand. On the desk behind the navigator's seat a second telephone is connected to the main bank of phones on board. A GPS is also provided, with an external antenna, and is connected to the Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) amateur radio network. The bus beacons it's position every 1 - 10 minutes, so it may be followed in the EOC. A full emergency response package is included.

Mobile Command's first full mission was a five day public safety support mission in south Dade County following hurricane 'Andrew' in August of 1992.  Departure was 48 hours after landfall, delayed slightly as Collier County was the next to be impacted after Dade. The bus provided command, control and communications for Collier County fire/rescue/EMS units involved in search and rescue efforts.

December through late May of every year is wildfire season in Collier County. With over 2,000 square miles, mostly it in the Everglades, wildfire in remote areas are a serious problem. While much of the land in the central and eastern portions of the County are in Federal or State ownership, there are areas where private homes and small developments have sprung up. When a fire threatens these home, driven by our dry winter winds, fire can spread quickly. In 1985 firefighters spent weeks battling fires over 100,000 acres. One firefighter died when he was overtaken by flames.

In 1989, wildfire again struck in a serious way. Separate fires spread through much of the same area burned in 1985 over a four week period. With incident managers working from the hoods of their cars, it was decided there must be a better way.

Throughout the winter months, the "dry" season in southwest Florida, the Division of Forestry and local fire departments respond to hundreds of wildfire calls. They range from small starts to headfires roaring through hundreds of acres. When an IMS overhead team is needed to manage a fire response, Mobile Command responds on a mutual aid basis, often manned by ARES/RACES volunteers.

The vehicle was also used in two recent large, full scale exercises. Southern Florida ARES held a two day full scale Simulated Emergency Test or SET in October 1993. Twenty two of the section's twenty three counties took part. Mobile Command provided a secure staging area along I-75 for units responding to fictitious hurricane 'Waldo' in Lee County.

In June of 1995, the State of Florida held it's second annual full scale hurricane exercise, as 'Zack' struck near Daytona Beach, exiting near Cedar Key. The first test of the Rapid Response Team (RRT) concept included a multijurisdictional response from southwest Florida. Command and Control for the RRT was provided by Mobile Command.

    Large brush fires in 1998, 1999 and 2000 (including a 16,000 acre fire in April 2000) have kept Mobile Command busy.  ARES & RACES training continues on a regular basis.

Mobile Command is housed at the City of Naples fire station 3,  located at Naples Municipal Airport.  The facility, which also  houses the airport's crash/fire/rescue trucks, providing a quick  response to most of the county.