MONROE - Green County's emergency mobile command unit has been used at fires and a murder scene in 2007, according to Green County Emergency Management Director Keith Ingwell.
In February the command unit was not able to assist at a fire at the Risley Pellet Solutions plant in Monticello, because it sat outside and would not start.
At the time the command unit was requested, the temperature was around 9 degrees below zero.
The Monticello fire, located in an old granary building on Lake Avenue on the east end of the village, drew 10 fire departments, two police departments and the Green County Sheriff's Department.
Two employees were hurt in the explosion, neither with life-threatening injuries.
After the fire, concerns were raised about why the mobile command unit wasn't available.
In April, Ingwell said, the command unit was placed inside an unheated shed and is plugged in to keep the batteries fresh.
Ingwell said having the unit inside the shed has made a difference, and it's available to county agencies whenever there's an emergency.
The command unit was used at a couple of fires in 2007.
It was also used at the murder scene outside of New Glarus in November.
The Green County Sheriff's Department used the command unit during the several days officers inspected the house and property, Ingwell said.
The mobile command unit is a 1997 Chevrolet recreational vehicle that provides a computerized dispatch area where Ingwell can coordinate communication between departments at an emergency scene or call other departments to assist. It's also a place for emergency personnel to take a break - about five or six people can comfortably fit in the vehicle at a time.
In February the command unit was not able to assist at a fire at the Risley Pellet Solutions plant in Monticello, because it sat outside and would not start.
At the time the command unit was requested, the temperature was around 9 degrees below zero.
The Monticello fire, located in an old granary building on Lake Avenue on the east end of the village, drew 10 fire departments, two police departments and the Green County Sheriff's Department.
Two employees were hurt in the explosion, neither with life-threatening injuries.
After the fire, concerns were raised about why the mobile command unit wasn't available.
In April, Ingwell said, the command unit was placed inside an unheated shed and is plugged in to keep the batteries fresh.
Ingwell said having the unit inside the shed has made a difference, and it's available to county agencies whenever there's an emergency.
The command unit was used at a couple of fires in 2007.
It was also used at the murder scene outside of New Glarus in November.
The Green County Sheriff's Department used the command unit during the several days officers inspected the house and property, Ingwell said.
The mobile command unit is a 1997 Chevrolet recreational vehicle that provides a computerized dispatch area where Ingwell can coordinate communication between departments at an emergency scene or call other departments to assist. It's also a place for emergency personnel to take a break - about five or six people can comfortably fit in the vehicle at a time.