I am here with my District Captain - East, Dan Jacquish, assisting him in displaying Team Mercury - the Mobile Communications Rapid Response Team. This Team is composed of members of my division (Division 5) of the D7 Auxiliary and the mobile communications unit around which the team is built.
The unit is self-contained and self-sufficient, with the ability to forward deploy to any place that is reachable by road (or ship or air). The truck contains the communications work stations, of which there are two, and which also pulls the trailer. The trailer contains the work and living space for the team as well as the food and other supplies. In addition, it carries the 4-wheel Mule that is used for local transportation and re-supply.
One of the difficulties in forward-deploying Auxiliarists is in providing for their shelter, food, and hygiene needs. This team brings all of those things with it. The unit has berthing for 6 to 8, food for weeks, a full head with shower, a full galley including a refrigerator/freezer, and work and living space. It also carries 100 gallons of fuel for the generators and 100 gallons of fresh water, with additional capability for purification.
Another unique feature of this unit is its capability to provide an interface between the Coast Guard and the local law enforcement and response communities. This is accomplished by including the 800MHz trunked radios that most local communities use. By having these radios as part of the package, the unit can be that important link between those two operations.
We have had the incredible opportunity to show the unit to most of the Coast Guard's senior leadership over the last two days. If we were struggling in anonymity and obscurity before, I think we have cured that this week.
Now all we need is a couple of deployments, which will provide the opportunity to prove the capability and value of Team Mercury.
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