Law enforcement technologyMiddlesex County, N.J. gets $1 million for mobile tent system

Published 8 June 2011

Local emergency responders in New Jersey recently received a big boost in disaster preparedness from DHS; last week the county unveiled a new 3,000 square foot mobile structure comprised of interlocking tents and trailers; the tents can be quickly set up to treat victims of a radiological accident, terrorist attack, pandemic, or weather emergency; the tent system can also be outfitted with its own water supply, power generator, and heating and cooling systems. They are even equipped with lights, showers, sinks, and a kitchen; for training purposes, the tents were set up at the Middlesex County College campus; the portable structure, called the Gatekeeper system, cost $1 million and was paid for with DHS grant money; county officials also received DHS grants to purchase mobile radiation detection devices for police officers; the tents and the radiation detectors come as part of a broader government effort to prepare local law enforcement agencies within a forty-five mile radius of New York City for a dirty-bomb attack

Local emergency responders in New Jersey recently received a big boost in disaster preparedness from DHS.

Last week the county unveiled a new 3,000 square foot mobile structure comprised of interlocking tents and trailers.

The portable structure can be quickly set up to treat victims of a radiological accident, terrorist attack, pandemic, or weather emergency.

The tent system can also be outfitted with its own water supply, power generator, and heating and cooling systems. They are even equipped with lights, showers, sinks, and a kitchen.

For training purposes, the tents were set up at the Middlesex County College campus.

The portable structure, called the Gatekeeper system, cost $1 million and was paid for with DHS grant money.

Middlesex County health director David A. Papi, said, “The good thing about [the system] is it’s very expandable,” Papi said. “If one area was affected badly, you could get another set of tents from another county and attach it to this tent.”

Papi added that the tents can bused as temporary shelters or as space to treat patients when hospitals lack capacity.

County officials also received DHS grants to purchase mobile radiation detection devices for police officers.

The tents and the radiation detectors come as part of a broader government effort to prepare local law enforcement agencies within a forty-five mile radius of New York City for a dirty-bomb attack.