As part of the cities emergency preparedness, a Mobile Command Post vehicle was purchased in 2007 utilizing Homeland Security grant funds. The vehicle is co-owned by the cities of Cypress, Seal Beach and Los Alamitos. The team is comprised of a team manager (Cypress sergeant), assistant manager (Seal Beach officer) and 10 other employees/volunteers from the three agencies including one dispatcher from West Cities Communications. The team is known as the West Orange County Urban Area Mobile Command Post Team. Two members staff the vehicle each time it is called out for either a preplanned event or emergency response.

The vehicle, a 2006 40’ Freightliner M2 truck with a customized work area, was built by LDV, Inc. out of Burlington, Wisconsin. The work area was built into three compartments: Communications section, command and control, and logistics. The vehicle has specialized communications equipment and computer systems, all to help sustain field operations in the event of a prolonged emergency incident. All systems within the vehicle were built with redundancy in mind on the chance one system fails.

The vehicle is also equipped with a 42’ telescoping mast with a pan, tilt, zoom camera mounted on the top along with communications antennas. The vehicle has an elaborate video distribution system with multiple ways of bringing in local and national news channels. It’s also equipped with a PBX phone system that has multiple ways of getting telephone connectivity. A data satellite system is also in place for internet connectivity. A 42” SMARTBoard serves as the command and control board for mapping of events and special operations.

The vehicle is also equipped with an 800 MHz radio system, along with conventional radios for interoperability with surrounding Counties and HAM radio operators. There are three work-stations within the communications section that are set up for full dispatch capabilities. Each station is equipped with dual displays, headset jacks and foot pedals.

On the outside of the vehicle, there is another full work-station equipped with communications equipment and a large-screen display connected to a computer system. Command staff can operate from this position or from inside the command room. A galley with a 30-cup coffee maker, microwave and wash sink is also available for personnel working the long incidents.

The team has been called out for many incidents within the three-city jurisdictions as well as in the County of Orange. Most notable deployments include the Stanley Cup playoffs in 2007 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, serving as a temporary full-functioning dispatch center for all three cities during a communications center remodel project, all SWAT callouts and DUI checkpoints, and annual events such as the 4th of July celebration at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Seal Beach, and the Community Festival in Cypress.