Blue Cell Formalizes Deployments Services Group Processes
and Capabilities
The Blue Cell, LLC is proud to announce the operational
timeline for the official launch of its Deployment Services Group (DSG). Under
conceptual development for the past year, the official launch was delayed by
the acquisition of Command School TTX. However, that particular delay created
the catalyst; in the development process, the decision was made to add logistic
and planning support capabilities to the deployment packages. The packages are
designed in 2 to 6 person elements to support incident command posts, emergency
operations centers and private industry locations in real world incidents.
From a system perspective, the state-to-state mutual aid
agreement that would be used is called the Emergency Management Assistance
Compact. This national system has been
ratified by Congress in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico,
Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Unfortunately, because the sending state
makes the decision as to whom to offer up and send to the requesting state, the
wrong tool has often been sent to do the job. States lacking credentialing
systems or with other leadership and or management flaws have had a tendency to
make incorrect decisions on whom they deploy.
To best serve our
customers from a deployment services perspective, The Blue Cell, LLC has taken
the following steps. All Blue Cell, LLC contracts and agreements from its other
service groups (training, exercise, consulting and technical) now automatically
includes a clause allowing customers to access the Blue Cells deployments
services in a real world emergency. The Blue Cell, LLC now carries its own
errors and omission, liability and workman compensation insurance package
specific to deployment situations. The Blue Cells updated website will include,
on its deployment services page, short dossiers on its deployment personnel.
Those personnel effective January 1st will carry a Blue Cell issued
credential that is QR bar coded. That bar code can be read by any smart phone
and takes the reader to a password protected long dossier page for the resource.
This page will include additional information on the resource and a scanned pdf
copy of every certification and credential the resource has that can be
downloaded and printed.
To enhance the DSG
capabilities The Blue Cell is pursuing “Pro”contracts with an independent
communications company, several companies with private jets to support getting
the DSG to disaster areas, additional aerial photography capabilities and the
top tactical gear supplier to keep the DSG outfitted.
The last step the DSG will
employ is called check down. The process is how The Blue Cell, LLC will quickly
assess the readiness status of DSG members, make direct contact with specific
clients and, in event of a deployment, decide whether the direct contract
clause is appropriate, a secondary contract is needed or if EMAC is the route
to take to get the DSG moving to the client. In support of this new capability,
the technical services group is making upgrades to The Blue Cell app. The
company is working with the leading custom trailer manufacturers and Reeves ICP
on a 35 foot deployment trailer to support its specific operational needs. The
trailer will adorn a new DSG logo upon completion.
Like many things, the
public sector needs private enterprise to enhance its efforts. The world of
incident command and emergency management is no different. This endeavour for
the company is a huge step in making our other service groups stronger, because
there is no substitute for real world experience.
