By HEATHER RUPPE
The Colleton County Sheriff’s Office has a new mobile special operations trailer that can be used as a portable command center for disasters and rescue missions.
“The unit is designed as a versatile mobile office that can be used as a command field office for major incidents, large scale crime scenes and search and rescue operations,” said Capt. Jason Chapman, with the special operations with the Colleton County Sheriff’s Office. “The unit can also be deployed as a back-up dispatch center or for public service functions,” he said.
This type of unit is necessary because of the physical location and size of Colleton County: hurricanes, disasters and rescue operations often require law enforcement officers to set up a mobile, second “base command” away from the actual sheriff’s office headquarters, which are located in Walterboro.
The actual unit is an 8.5’ x 16’ enclosed trailer that is wired with power receptables and LED lighting. It is fueled by a dual-fuel generator and has 18-feet of working desk space.
According to Chapman, the trailer is climate controlled by a roof-mounted HVAC unit. The floors are also made of rubber, and law enforcement officers who use the trailer have access to a wall-mounted television, WIFI and an 800-base station radio.
“The trailer and its components were obtained through a grant at zero cost to the citizens of Colleton,” said Chapman.
