Franklin’s New Critical Incident Command Vehicle

by Lynnette

Roads And Driving

Sgt. David Prather and Franklin's Critical Incident Command Vehicle. PHOTO BY BRIAN MCCORD,TENNESSEAN It’s good to know that the town in which we live operates on the cutting edge of technology when it comes to critical response life-saving techniques and rapid mobile command centers.

Franklin, Tennessee has a new life saver in town and it’s called the Critical Incident Command Vehicle. Now help is on the way… faster than ever!

Here are some little-known facts about Franklin, Tennessee’s new Critical Incident Command Vehicle (as reported in the Tennessean):

  • It was designed by the Franklin police and fire departments.

  • It will be used as a center to monitor and organize major incidents such as a haz-mat spill, a hostage situation, or a weather catastrophe.

  • It is wired and equipped with a hostage negotiator’s “Rescue Phone”.
  • It is capable of recieving 911 calls and monitoring all emergency communication.

  • It features a pan, tilt and 20x zoom camera is mounted above the command vehicle on a mast that extends to 42 feet.

  • Images from the vehicle’s telescoping camera can be viewed on any of the six flat screen monitors inside the vehicle.

  • It is equipped with an onboard gas generator that can provide power to operate all computers, TVs and other electronic equipment.

  • The 10 individual radios inside can be programmed with 128 channels, including Tennessee’s Homeland Security’s V-tac and U-tac channels, allowing police to communicate with each other and outside agencies.

  • A 43-inch plasma screen monitor with Smartboard overlay provides officers with the electronic equivalent of a dry erase board for briefing, planning and other crucial decisions.

  • GIS mapping of the entire county can be called up with notations made directly onto the image viewed from a 43-inch plasma screen.

  • It is equipped with a wireless weather station that can be located up to 1000 feet away from the vehicle, providing information about wind speed, humidity, temperature and more.