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FEMA Team Creates Vital Communication Link

by Spc. William E. Henry

FEMA team creates vital communications link during domestic crises

A Federal Emergency Management Agency Mobile Emergency Response Support communications vehicle. The FEMA MERS team set up operations May 10, 2007 at Camp Atterbury, Ind., during Vigilant Guard, a joint military and civilian training exercise simulating a nuclear detonation in a major metropolitan area. The communications team can order essential communication packages to affected areas during domestic crises. (Photo by Spc. William E. Henry, B Company, Special Troops Battalion, Indiana Army National Guard) (released)

from Denver made their way here to provide communications support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's joint field office in response to a simulated nuclear detonation during the National Guard's 2007 Vigilant Guard, a joint military and civilian training exercise.

"Five MERS locations are strategically placed throughout regions of the country," said Glen Laber, an information technology specialist for the MERS Denver detachment. "They are able to respond to all 10 FEMA regions, providing quick action to disaster areas."

MERS, a subset of FEMA, can be anywhere in the nation within hours after a disaster and can set up a temporary communications infrastructure, he said.

"Our job is to be the first on the scene of an incident to provide communications support to an affected area," said Ivan Williams Jr., telecommunications manager for the Denver MERS detachment. "We can talk to just about anyone. We can send and receive cell phone signals, VHF, high frequency, and even talk to pilots of aircrafts if we are on the right frequency."

The radio room of a Federal Emergency Management Agency Mobile Emergency Response Support communications vehicle. The FEMA MERS team set up operations May 10, 2007 at Camp Atterbury, Ind., during Vigilant Guard, a joint military and civilian training exercise simulating a nuclear detonation in a major metropolitan area. The communications team can order essential communication packages to affected areas during domestic crises. (Photo by Spc. William E. Henry, B Company, Special Troops Battalion, Indiana Army National Guard) (released)

MERS sets up satellite links for television, phones and e-mail when normal contact connections are lost. When phone lines are down they link it by using satellites, he said.

"We hold video conferences from our mobile units and send signals from our unit directly to other units in the area, 'point to point,'" Laber said. "Local, regional and national leaders can communicate via satellite to assess what is needed and where to bring it."

Each MERS detachment contains 40-50 workers.

"The Denver detachment mainly covers from Salt Lake City to Chicago," Laber said. "But we'll go anywhere our presence is needed in an extreme emergency situation."

The briefing room inside a Federal Emergency Management Agency Mobile Emergency Response Support vehicle. The FEMA MERS team set up operations May 10, 2007 at Camp Atterbury, Ind., during Vigilant Guard, a joint military and civilian training exercise simulating a nuclear detonation in a major metropolitan area. (Photo by Spc. William E. Henry, B Company, Special Troops Battalion, Indiana Army National Guard) (released)

The MERS team can order pre-packed pallets of multimedia and communications equipment and have them delivered on site when needed, explained Joshua Hruza, a MERS telecommunications specialist. A typical package contains 50 laptops, connection equipment and other needed tools.

"MERS can turn an empty building or tent into a working office within hours of an incident," he said.

Glen Laber, an information technology specialist for the Mobile Emergency Response Support team, is ready to respond from a work station May 12, 2007 inside the MERS communications vehicle at Camp Atterbury, Ind., during Vigilant Guard, a joint military and civilian training exercise simulating a nuclear detonation in a major metropolitan area. The Denver MERS team, a subset of FEMA, provides initial communications support to local, regional and national leaders during domestic crises. (Photo by Spc. William E. Henry, B Company, Special Troops Battalion, Indiana Army National Guard) (released)

The exercise has given Hruza and his team a better picture of the larger operation and how it works together, he said.

"A lot of us (Denver MERS) are actually former military members," Hruza said. "That gives us a good feeling about being a part of what happens nationally."

MERS is an intricate part of FEMA operations and has responded to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina, and countless other U.S. disaster relief missions.

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