Frontline Communications has delivered a custom C-45X-4 Mobile Command Unit to the Kansas City Fire Department to strengthen incident management, emergency communications and multi-agency coordination ahead of the World Cup.
Frontline Communications, a division of Pierce Manufacturing, Inc., an Oshkosh Corporation business, said the vehicle will provide Kansas City firefighters and emergency response partners with a centralized platform for managing major incidents and large-scale planned events.
The unit was delivered in advance of the World Cup and is designed to support real-time coordination between first responders, public safety agencies and regional partners. The project was developed in collaboration with the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Department, Frontline Communications and Conrad Fire Equipment, the local Pierce dealer.
Conrad Fire Equipment worked with the department and Frontline Communications throughout the specification, design and technology integration process to ensure the vehicle met Kansas City’s operational requirements.
“This new mobile command and communications vehicle significantly reinforces the Kansas City Fire Department’s ability to manage complex incidents, coordinate large-scale events and support regional emergency operations,” said Michael Hopkins, battalion chief of the Kansas City Fire Department. “The platform provides advanced communication technology and command capabilities that strengthen coordination between first responders and partner agencies in real time.”
The mobile command unit is built on a Pierce Velocity custom chassis and features a 35-foot custom aluminum body with four slide-out sections. Inside, the vehicle includes a conference room with seating for 12, six workstations, a galley and a lavatory to support extended deployments.
Key equipment includes the Frontline Communications Command Zone multiplex power system with touchscreen display, two full-height custom equipment racks, two exterior 43-inch display compartments, a full-length awning, a 4-ton Northern Air HVAC system and a light tower for scene illumination.
The vehicle also integrates an Extron 32×32 video router, Raytheon JPS ACU-Z1 radio interoperability system, 11 Motorola radios with patch panel, Starlink satellite connectivity, a FLIR thermal/HD mast camera and more than 20 display screens to support situational awareness and command operations.
The Kansas City Fire Department will use the mobile command unit to support coordinated response efforts, major planned events and regional emergency operations. Hopkins said the purchase reflects the department’s broader commitment to operational readiness, regional coordination and future emergency response needs.
