For two years, Emergency Management Coordinators Grant Grim of Upper Macungie and Jeff Kelly of South Whitehall have been gathering information on a mobile command unit in preparation for a joint purchase and shared use by both townships.

At an Aug. 14 meeting of representatives from the two townships, Grim and Kelly said it was time for a decision to be made on whether to proceed with the purchase of the command vehicle.

With an expected cost of $450,000, the incident command post would be a mobile unit equipped with highly technical communication devices, such as radios, weather station, and phone lines.

Inside, it would look like a conference room with chairs, monitors and cameras.

The unit would provide a central command post during an emergency situation in which many responders from various municipalities and jurisdictions are on scene.

These might include local and state police, firefighters, ambulance and EMS personnel, the FBI, and other federal officials.

South Whitehall Commissoner David Bond explained how the mobile command unit might be used.

"In a large scale event, all commanders have one place to discuss options," Bond said. "They may need a private place to discuss strategy.

"We don't want people sitting in a Tahoe trying to decide what to do. Unified command is our weak point in evaluations of our practice tests and actual occurrences."

He said the unit would probably be a self-driven vehicle.

Cetronia Ambulance Corps has planned a spot for it to be housed in the building now under construction and has offered a trained person to drive it, if needed, Bond said.

Grim reported some substantial anticipated contributions from private businesses and a state grant failed to materialize.

Lehigh County has offered $30,000 toward the unit.

"We have to each commit $50,000 a year for five years or we're not going to move forward," Kelly said.

Grim offered his thoughts.

"If we're not 100 percent on board, I don't know if we can move ahead here," Grim said. "This is a half-million dollars.

"We have to have commissioners and supervisors 100 percent."

"We have to make a decision by September or October or the project is dead," Kelly added.

South Whitehall Commissioner Christina "Tori" Morgan commented on the issue.

"Conceptually, everybody's on board," Morgan said. "It's great synergy between the townships."

She stressed the importance of communication with residents regarding the purchase.

"We have to answer to the public," Morgan said. "This isn't our money. It's the taxpayers' money. Let's also try to reach out for other funding."

South Whitehall Commissioner Glenn Block offered support for the mobile command vehicle.

"I think this is a fantastic project," Block said. "Sometimes the public doesn't know what is in their best interest.

"Given the times we're in, there's obviously a need."

Upper Macungie Supervisor Sam Ashmar suggested the townships continue to seek funds for the project from various sources.

"If we don't stay focused, we won't get corporate people," Ashmar said. "Our budgets are in play the next month or two."

Morgan recommended the vehicle be placed on the agenda at each municipality's next public meeting to bring closure for movement.

This plan was accepted.

South Whitehall commissioners will include the item at their Sept. 4 meeting while Upper Macungie supervisors will have it on their Sept. 5 agenda.