State of Saxony-Anhalt puts new mobile operations centre into service to be used by fire brigade (Halle, Saale)

The vehicle was ordered by the Ministry of the Interior and Sports of the state. After completion, it was handed over to the fire brigade of Halle (Saale) to be used for disaster control purposes. Planned and manufactured by Broadcast Solutions in cooperation with the Department of Fire and Disaster Control, Civil Defence, Military Affairs, Rescue Services of the Ministry of the Interior and Sport, the vehicle (ELW 2) replaces the predecessor truck from 1997. The command vehicle is used by command leader units for deployment site exploration, command of tactical units and command of units during medium and larger deployments. To collect all necessary information and to pass it on to the responsible authorities in a processed and evaluated form, the mobile command-and-control unit is equipped with state-of-the-art communication, office and video technology. Additional firefighting equipment is also integrated into the vehicle.

The ELW 2 is designed as a truck with box body (18t), has two extensions and offers space for 13 workstations. Because of a thought-through space concept, which is exactly tailored to the needs of disaster management, and the innovative integration of technology, the vehicle offers the latest communication technology and sufficient space which means the teams can carry out their tasks perfectly and in a convenient invironment. Inside the ELW there is a large staff room with eight laptop workstations and a location map PC workstation as well as three large monitors and a permanently installed beamer. Four additional radio operators/dispatchers can work in a separate communication room. The team can assess the situation visually using 6x 21" and 3x 19" monitors and can communicate with all other team members and across several vehicles.

Broadcast Solutions equipped the ELW with a mobile satellite communication system, a power generator and an eight-meter high hand crank mast. In the communication room, two racks of 43 RU accommodate the technology and offer sufficient space to integrate any additional equipment. The ELW has a power generator with a capacity of 14 kVA which is installed in the underfloor area. An on-board powerful air conditioning system cools/heats the racks and the rooms, designed in two separate air conditioning circuits. Thanks to the generator and air conditioning system, the vehicle is independent and can operate under the most adverse conditions.

An integrated IP-based communication system makes access to the complete communication technology via touch user interfaces easy and fast, plus a telephone system comes with additional wireless DECT telephones. The communication system offers wired VoIP connections at each workstation.

Together with the client, Broadcast Solutions implemented additional storage space and storage options. As the ELW is not only used for communication and situation assessment but also firefighting purposes, the teams must be able to access the complete fire equipment easily and fast.

• Truck with box body (gross vehicle weight 18t)
• 320HP, Automated manual transmission
• Centrifugal chains on the rear axle
• 2 extensions
• 2-room concept with communication room and staff room
• 9 workstations in the staff room

• VoIP telephone system, including DECT telephones
• LTE router
• 7x TETRA radios, 18x handheld radios
• 6 DECT telephones
• 9 Ultrabooks
• 2 tablet computer
• Weather station
• Roof-top satellite system
• Mobile satellite communication system
• Hand crank mast (up to 8 m) with TETRA antenna