Men and Women of Action Unveil New Command Center
February 27, 2012–Men and Women of Action (MWOA), a Church of God-sponsored disaster relief and construction agency, recently completed a mobile unit which will assist in future emergencies and disaster re-build projects.
International Offices staff Toika Sherlin, left, and Terrie Goff look over the interior of the new MWOA Command Center
The converted semi-trailer was on display at the Church of God International Offices and open for tours by the international offices family. Inside are eight beds, two restrooms, which include showers, storage closets and a common area.
According to Hugh Carver, director of MWOA, the new Command Center will benefit disaster relief situations in two ways: to serve as an emergency shelter for persons rendered homeless by a disaster, or as a construction site temporary home. Beds are divided into separate areas to accommodate men and women at the same time, if necessary. Each area is equipped with restroom facilities, including showers and separate water heaters. A massive on board generator supplies power to the command center and to other equipment as needed on a disaster site, but can be plugged in to a power source as well.
The common area will be used as an on-site office and meeting space where tasks and plans will be launched when the command center is on a disaster relief site.
Previously MWOA had a similar trailer which served much the same purposes, but only housed four and did not have as much on board as the new Command Center.
Joe Leddon, left, explains the generator capacity of the new MWOA Command Center semi-trailer.
“This Command Center opens up a new world of possibilities for us to be able to operate more effectively,” stated Teddie Bennett, executive assistant with MWOA. “To know that we can roll up to a site, no matter how remote, and operate without an external source of power is critical in disaster relief.” According to Bennett, the new Command Center was built over several months with the assistance of various crews, including one group of Church of God men in Griffin, Ga. who installed the heating and air conditioning.
“We learned from the previous trailer how to make this one more efficient,” Bennett continued. “One is the insulation which allows for a much quieter operation relative to the running generator. Also much of the space of the previous command center was taken up by tools and supplies. These will now be transported separately or pulled behind in a trailer.”
