This publication showcases the various types of vehicles that are utilized by "First Responders" be it from the public sector or private industry to respond to an assortment of emergency incidents. Specifically, this book will take a look at vehicles that are utilized as mobile command units by Incident Commanders to maintain command and control of an incident. In addition, this publication will spotlight emergency response support vehicles that can be called for by an Incident Commander at the scene of an incident to provide additional resources to emergency response personnel.
Because of the specific nature of the vehicles covered in this book, the reader will soon discover that some of the units are similar in design for the most part, but then again that they also differ in the way that they are laid out and for the function that they were designed for.
Besides the photos, readers will also learn a little more about the history of the Incident Management System and how important it is for an Incident Commander to have the availability of a command unit.
After becoming an Eagle Scout, I was a member of the Dearborn Heights Police Explorer Post 1809 for three years. I worked for the Dearborn Heights Police Department in a civilian capacity (clerk/dispatcher) for 13 months after high school.
I am a third generation Ford Motor Company employee. The Ford Motor Company has employed me for 32 years, all of which have been spent in security. I started as a guard at the Research & Engineering Center in Dearborn, Michigan. I was promoted to a clerk’s position and was assigned to the Ford Rouge Center Fire Services and Rouge Center Security. For a few months in 1989 I was assigned to the Corporate Communications Center (dispatch) in Dearborn as one of the original members of this department. On July 16, 1989 I was promoted to a security supervisor at the R&E Center where I served as a shift operations supervisor, then fire evacuation and training supervisor. Shortly after that, I was placed in charge of special events, emergency preparedness and training while still assigned to the Research & Engineering Center.
In late 2000 I was assigned to Corporate Security where I was the supervisor responsible for emergency preparedness and special events. In early 2001, I returned back to the Rouge where once again I was a shift supervisor. In 2003, I was re-assigned back to being responsible for training at the Rouge Center for security personnel.
During the course of 2005, the company outsourced uniformed security/fire services that were provided by Ford’s in-house security organization in North America. I still remained a Ford employee in the Ford security department, and as a result of the changes, my duties and responsibilities were changed to being involved with business continuity planning and I was re-assigned to the Corporate Security/Fire Department at World Headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan once again.
In 1997 the Ford Motor Company Research & Engineering Center and the City of Dearborn took part in a major disaster drill exercise that was referred to as EX-97. I served as the Incident Commander for the Ford Motor Company during the course of the exercise and took part in “Unified Command” along with the Dearborn fire and police department Incident Commanders. The exercise/drill was one of the largest in the state and the county at that time and involved 25,000 people.
The exercise centered on a weather-related event (tornado) and associated incidents from the tornado that resulted in fires, hazardous material incidents, as well as injuries. The sheltering of employees who were displaced from this incident was also part of the exercise, as well as business resumption.
With my involvement as part of a team that was involved with the development of a new emergency preparedness plan for the R&E Center, we received a Customer Driven Quality Award for our efforts in 1997.
Over the course of my 32 years I have had the opportunity to respond to several emergency incidents and served as the Incident Commander. I also responded to the Ford Rouge powerhouse explosion that occurred on February 1, 1999. I was responsible for the operation of the security command post.
I have two college degrees, Associates in Industrial Security and a Bachelor’s in Industrial/Institutional Security with a minor in Law Enforcement.
I served in the capacity as chairperson for the Public Safety Committee for the Dearborn Heights Strategic Planning Task Force. Our recommendations resulted in a new fire headquarters in 1999 and a new Justice Center (combined court/police facility) in 2003. I attended and completed the Dearborn Heights Citizens Police Academy. In addition, my wife and I completed training and have been certified as members of the Dearborn Heights Community Emergency Response Team (CERT). In fact I am one of the instructors in the area of the CERT Organization/ Incident Command. Also I am one to the two-team leaders for our CERT program.
Besides taking photos of emergency response vehicles, which I feature, on my own web site at www.geocities.com/ajrcommander, I have a collection of Ford security; police explorer and railroad police shoulder patches. I am also interested in railroads, and I am the President/CEO of the Michigan Railroad Club, Inc. In addition I belong to a local fire buff club (Box 42).
Prior to this book, I have written one other book and that was on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Michigan Railroad Club, Inc.
Book Format
The format for this book will contain background information on Incident Command, and the history and development of command post units. Also emergency response vehicles utilized by emergency responders will be covered.
The section dealing with mobile command units will consist of photographs of various command units mounted on commercial bodies costing hundreds of thousand of dollars, motor-homes, sport utility vehicles, trailers and vans.
Emergency response support vehicles will focus on the various types of specialized equipment utilized by “First Responders” and other emergency personnel to aid, and assist at the scene of a man made or natural disaster. These vehicles range from canteens, emergency supply equipment trailers, hazardous materials units, heavy rescues and lighting units just to mention a few. These pieces of specialized equipment can be found mounted on mini-buses, mobile homes, pick-up trucks, sport utility vehicles, trailers and vans.
Photos that appear in this publication either in the mobile command post section, or emergency response support vehicles section showcase vehicles from fire departments, emergency management agencies, emergency support activities, law enforcement agencies and private industry.