When Computing & Communications (C&C) staff say they plan to be a well-oiled machine ready to handle campus emergencies and special events 鈥� they鈥檙e not speaking entirely figuratively. C&C has purchased a 60-foot-long articulated Metro bus that鈥檚 been refurbished as a mobile operations center, and visitors to the UW Police open house next week can have a look inside.
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Photos by Scott Mah |
| Inside the bus, C&C employees (left to right) Patrick Jones, Rich Brodsky and Matt Rehder work during last week鈥檚 earthquake drill. |
The Special Event Mobile Operations Center (SEMOC), as it is officially called, formerly belonged to the Association of Operations Volunteers, a non-profit organization that provides communication facilities for special events. Outside, it looks like an everyday bus painted white, but inside it鈥檚 loaded with equipment that can help coordinate a large event or keep an office operational in the midst of a disaster.
For example, there鈥檚 a dispatch area with two radio consoles, a paging center and a rack of mobile radios in their chargers. There鈥檚 also a closed circuit TV system that allows the driver to see who is entering and exiting the rear door, about a dozen phones and plenty of computer connectivity. And for the needs of the crew, there鈥檚 a kitchen, a bathroom and a conference room.
C&C bought the bus last November after having used it at last year鈥檚 Drop, Cover and Hold earthquake drill. 鈥淲e thought it was a great tool, so when we heard it was for sale, we seized the opportunity,鈥� said Andy Ward, project manager for the mobile operations center and manager of C&C鈥檚 provisioning and support center. He said that since the purchase, the department has upgraded some of the center鈥檚 computing and communications systems and has had a couple of opportunities to try the bus out.
The first was when Environmental Health and Safety held a drill for its Pre-entry and Assessment Team 鈥� a group of staff members who are to go into buildings to check for environmental hazards. The second was just last week, when the University as a whole held a disaster drill featuring an imaginary 7.0 earthquake on the Seattle fault.
During the latter exercise, Ward said, two C&C employees were answering University-wide information calls in the bus and other C&C employees were answering various departmental lines there as well. These are just the sort of communications services the mobile center could provide in the event of a disaster, large or small.
鈥淚f there was a major building fire, for example, we could provide working space and communications for on-site emergency coordination,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淎nd we could mirror computer workstations and phones to restore essential operations shortly after an event.鈥�
The SEMOC definitely will play a role in the University鈥檚 overall emergency management plan, said Steven Charvat, director of the UW emergency management office. 鈥淚t鈥檚 too new to be included on our resource list,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut as we wrap up our evaluation of the drill and prepare new plans and procedures, we鈥檙e going to be considering how it can be used.鈥�
Disasters aren鈥檛 the only events at which the SEMOC could be helpful, either. The vehicle can also serve as a communications center for a large public event, like an outdoor festival.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still exploring all the possible uses,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e tried to make the communications equipment very flexible so it can be configured in a number of ways, depending on the need.鈥�
Ward and other C&C staffers will be on hand at the open house, from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 5 at the Bryant Building, to talk to visitors touring the SEMOC. Hours are 2 to 4 p.m. For further information about the bus, call the C&C Customer Care Center, 206-221-5000, or e-mail customercare@cac.washington.edu.