Buffalo Grove introduced a new MobileComm vehicle specially designed for communications and overt video surveillance this week and During Buffalo Grove Day. The vehicle is used by Emergency Management Agency volunteers in communications with first responders, the truck is on public display this weekend near the carnival rides at Buffalo Grove Days.
MobileComm consists of more than 20 police/fire communications radios as well as a series of cameras that send wireless signals from incidents, a telephone phone system, Internet access, and fax, print and video conferencing capabilities.
The previous MobileComm vehicle was a retired ambulance. The new vehicle is designed especially for communications with more than 700 hours of design and construction work by EMA volunteers, Paul Zucker, Dave Morton, Roger Remblake and Bruce Diamond.
MobileComm is used at community events, such as Buffalo Grove Days and the Buffalo Grove Art Festival, but it is primarily prepared to responded to extra-alarm fires, train derailments, hazmat responses and other major emergencies. The older vehicle MobileCom vehicle responded to a train derailment in 2009, a freight train chemical release in 2005, a major fire at the Villa Verde apartment complex in 2000, a telephone outage in 2000, a car crash into a school building after hours with risk of building collapse, and other emergencies. A telescoping video camera in the sky has been used to observe train derailment scene details, including checking for venting or leaking hazardous material.
MobileComm has also been used as a regional resource for events such as President Barack Obama’s election night celebration in Grant Park in 2008 and the opening of the Holocaust Museum in Skokie attended by former president Bill Clinton in 2009.
Paul Zucker brings expertise as co-founder of AvrioRMS Group, a company that designs and develops Portable Overt Digital Surveillance Systems (PODSS®) for municipal police departments and security officials of major events, such as the Democratic National Convention, the Republican National Convention, the Presidential Inauguration and NFL Super Bowl games.
Since PODSS was deployed in Chicago in 2003, the City of Chicago has seen a 25% decrease in murders. The company is the developer of the blue-light checkered camera systems seen on street corners and other areas of Chicago.
Video from 2002, showing impressive features of previous MobileComm van.