I have mentioned this in past posts, but a trend in the mobile command center market is to utilize smaller mobile command centers that are under 26,000 lbs so they are easier to deploy and do not require a CDL license to drive. Two recent projects that demonstrate that trend are new Mobile Emergency Response Centers (MERCs) or mobile command centers for the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and also for Fort Bend County, Texas Office of Emergency Management. Both projects were recently completed by CCS for these respective customers and have been delivered to Austin, TX and Richmond, TX.
The Texas DPS project is our 6th MERC new trailer or vehicle project for this critical State Agency and we also provide satellite network service with our partners from IP Access for over 25 State mobile command centers through DPS, installed and support Mutualink for all 23 DPS State Communication Centers and their fleet of mobile command centers, and have done multiple upgrades on some of their older mobile command centers including a recent large video wall board installation with our friends from Vetted Security that included 23 total monitors in a mobile command center. This recent MERC is based on the chassis of a Freightliner truck and is a 26 foot drive away unit powered by an Engine Power Source (EPS) 30 kw diesel generator, has a 50 foot Fireco pneumatic mast, an AVL 1.2 meter auto acquire sat dish, eight Motorola APEX radios with three Telex dispatch consoles, a Mutualink IWS system, a Dish Network HD sat receiver, a Pepwave HD4 quad sim router that supports AT&T FirstNet and Verizon, an off air HD tv antenna, MSAT satellite telephone, 16X16 Video HD matrix switch, CoHu HD day/night PTZ camera, video downlink system for their DPS helicopter video feeds, 8 HD LED smart tvs, small kitchenette, Cisco video conferencing equipment, Cel-Fi cellular extenders for both commercial LTE and FirstNet Band 14, on board weather station, a lift gate system for wheel chair access, full conference room with bench seating, and on board laser HP network printer, two large IT racks with UPS battery back up, interior Red/White led lighting, exterior LED white and blue/amber lighting, a 20 foot electric side awning system, underbody storage cabinets, a 50 foot air hose reel, dual V-Air air compressors with air tank, six Interstate 12 volt batteries, and several more cool features. That is a lot of technology packed into this 26 foot unit and makes it one of the best equipped mobile command centers in the country.
The Fort Bend County Project was for two Mobile Emergency Response Centers (MERCs) or mobile command centers that were based on a Ford 2020 F350 Transit Van with an extended body and high roof. These units were equipped with three interior work stations, Motorola land mobile radios, CradlePoint LTE FirstNet capable router, AXIS PTZ and dome cameras, a very robust battery powered inverter system (no generator) , a roof mount 23,000 BTU AC unit, a drone storage and work station area, a small 21u IT rack, roof mount LTE antenna and off-air HD tv antenna, and many more cool features. These two MERC units will be used to assist the County in their COVID response and any future Hurricane or other disaster responses.
Both of these projects had to be competitively bid because of the cost of the projects and CCS is proud to have been awarded both projects. One of the main reasons we are normally successful when we respond to an RFP is that we do all of the work in house, we do not outsource any of the work with the exception of the graphics work. Most of our competitors outsource most if not all of the IT work which adds another layer of markup to their project. We certainly do not sell on price and what we do is not inexpensive, but by keeping most of the work in house we eliminate an unneeded additional layer of pricing for our customers.
If anyone has any questions about either of these projects, please reach out to us at sales@ccscontact.net or 972-772-2721. We are very excited about 2021 and what the future holds.
