BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Martin County will soon have its first 911 command center on wheels, thanks to a school bus donation by the Martin County Board of Education.

The bus will deploy for select large-scale public events or emergencies, according to Martin County 911 director Nick Endicott.

“This project originated when we went to assist with the Noah Thompson event in Louisa,” Endicott said. “We figured out that we’re not equipped to handle large-scale events and emergencies for other agencies to come in – to do interoperability for other agencies.”

Endicott said the former 911 director wanted the school bus to turn into a mobile command center for radio interoperability and to use as a mobile dispatch center.

“So if we have a disaster that takes out this 911 building, we can take this bus to a remote area, set up and have 911 back up and running,” said Endicott.

Reoutfitting the bus could take as long as six months.

“It’s going to be a process. We’ll have to get the seats taken out, get desks built into it and get radio systems,” explained Endicott.

“It is a small bus. Right now, we don’t have any plans to include satellite functionality. I would like to incorporate an extendable mast for cameras and antennas for radio systems. It will be an ever-evolving process — one that truly will never be “finished” with the changes and advances in technology. My plan is to build it out in a way that it can be easily upgraded as time and money allow.”

Initially, the unit will be configured to allow for at least one dispatcher position and an area for small meetings.

“Most of the equipment will come from 911 – radios that we’ve purchased and already have on hand. A lot of this equipment we have already,” said Endicott. “It will be a good thing. I can’t wait.”