Mobility is key in the city

By Capt. Cody Starken, 29th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment —
When a large-scale crisis happens, responders need a way to coordinate movements and operations between units. The Maryland National Guard’s Operation Baltimore Rally, a mission to assist law enforcement agencies, is no different.

As of May 2, the Maryland National Guard had more than 3,000 Soldiers and Airmen working in and around the city, and more than 150 vehicles in play as well. Coordinating movements for such a large task force in an urban environment is no easy task, especially when trying to work with other agencies and preserve normal residential activity.

The Guard’s answer to these difficulties is the Mobile Emergency Operations Center. The MEOC enables communication and teamwork between civilian authorities and Guard personnel, offering security and peace of mind to the citizens of Baltimore without leaving a permanent footprint in the area.

“It offers those in command a calm and efficient communications platform for those in the field,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Matt Crabill, a trained MEOC operator. He is also an emergency flight superintendent for the Maryland Air National Guard. “It’s a center to help talk to civilian emergency services and the National Guard providing quick and efficient response support.”

Not only does the MEOC facilitate communication, its size and mobility are ideal for Baltimore’s city streets. The size of a tractor trailer, the MEOC houses six workstations and a conference area, operates on its own generator, and boasts satellite, internet, and television feeds.

“If we didn’t have this, and we had to [use] 50 vehicles and several hundred people, you [leave] a large footprint,” said Brig. Gen. Paul C. Maas, Jr., member of the MDANG.

Operations in the MEOC can continue for up to five days without refueling the generator. This allows for continuous communication when providing support to civilian organizations.

While the MEOC works well in longer operations, it is also perfect for responding quickly to emergencies.

“If we had a tanker overturned resulting in a spill with a fire,” Maas said, “we can pull this up within a block, and within 20-30 minutes, we can have this operating.”

The Maryland National Guard is made up of Citizen Soldiers and Airmen who live and work in the state. The MEOC enables these Marylanders to get their job done efficiently so that, at the end of the day, they and their neighbors can go home safely.