Innovative command van will improve county’s emergency response efficiency
Clayton County E911 Coordinator Sam Rumph and Emergency Management Coordinator Sarah Moser stand in front of the new command van on display at the National Night Out event on Aug. 5. They worked together to design the new command van that will improve efficiency, safety and collaboration in emergency situations in Clayton County.
Clayton County’s command van will replace the outdated command trailer and improve emergency response efficiency and collaboration. Upgrades include interior and exterior lights, a speaker system, three work stations, three screens and self-contained internet and radio capabilities.
By Kaitlyn Kuehl-Berns | Times-Register
As part of the new radio system upgrades in Clayton County, a new command van was purchased. The van will improve response time and facilitate efficient communication with law enforcement and emergency personnel on the scene of incidents and disasters.
Clayton County Emergency Manager Sarah Moser and E911 Coordinator Sam Rumph, who spearheaded the project together, are excited for the new asset to be utilized.
The van was outfitted by 10-33 Vehicle Services out of Wisconsin. When the project began, the original plan was to replace the existing trailer with a newer and updated model. When discussing how it would be used and the needs specific for Clayton County, Bill Flood, owner of 10-33 Vehicle Services, suggested a van outfitted with similar features might fit the needs of the county better and be more cost efficient.
Moser and Rumph were initially unsure, but after touring a van outfitted for drone response operations, they were excited about the potential of a van being the better option. They worked together to develop a list of features that would be important to address needs and uses specific to Clayton County.
The biggest difference between the old command trailer and the new command van is the response time and process to set up once on location. For the trailer to be transported, it needed an approved driver with correct licensing and a one-ton truck with the correct hitch.
Once on site, the set up process was time consuming, including finding a flat, stable location to set the trailer, connecting a portable generator, setting up a radio antenna and connecting to the internet.
With the new command van, a driver can be on the road in minutes with minimal setup needed once on site. The van is self-contained with internet and radio capabilities. This saves precious time in the case of an emergency.
The cabinets, outlets and electrical components of the van were designed specifically for Clayton County’s most common uses. The cords and wires are hidden but easily accessible behind panels if needed. The storage and technical components were strategically placed to allow for a clean and organized layout.
The new command van sees improvements to technical features, including three different work stations and three monitor screens. The old trailer didn’t have any. This improvement helps support collaboration in emergency situations.
Moser shared, “For instance, in a weather emergency, we could have emergency management, county law enforcement and the National Weather Service all working out of the van hooked up to different monitors to share their parts of the briefing.”
Lights on the exterior of the van are also an improvement from the trailer. This was a priority inspired by previous emergency situations that occurred at night in areas where there was no reception, lighting or a good location to send people to for a command post or staging area. When emergencies happen in the middle of Clayton County, these can be a big challenge.
Moser and Rumph made sure there’s extra lighting so people can see where they’re at and be safe getting in and out of the van. The sound system upgrades will provide pre-recorded weather messages and a PA system to communicate effectively to a group on the scene of an emergency.
Another benefit of the van is a secluded place for decisions to be made. In the past, the staging location has been a tent of just a designated meeting location. The van will provide privacy for law enforcement and other first responders to make hard decisions.
Rumph shared future plans for the command van include completing functionality to operate as a mobile dispatch unit. She shared, “If the dispatchers ever needed to be evacuated from the sheriff’s office dispatch center, the van would keep most dispatch operations functional. This would be utilized in the event of a major emergency.”
The exterior of the van displays the Clayton County Emergency Management and E911 logos. It is wrapped in images that display scenes from emergency incidents across Clayton County, including the American flag in McGregor during flooding of the Mississippi River in 2023, Motor Mill during flooding of the Turkey River in 2016 and Elkader during flooding of the Turkey River in 2021. Another photo shows a lightning strike that was taken by Will Roth, a weather enthusiast from Guttenberg who recently graduated from Clayton Ridge and is studying meteorology at Iowa State University.
The dip station in Guttenberg marking the end of RAGBRAI’s recent trip across the state was the first time the van was used in action. It was also utilized at the county fair and on display to the public at the National Night Out event at the Clayton County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 5.
Being able to showcase what the emergency management and E911 coordinators do has been another benefit of the van. It creates more visibility for people to understand what these positions entail and the role they play in emergencies as well as on a daily basis keeping communities safe.
Info relating to the Clayton County Emergency Management and E911 coordinators can be found at the county website. Both also have Facebook pages where they share news at “Clayton County Emergency Management” and “Clayton County 911 Coordinator.”
