What a MESS! DMC unveils new solar power emergency response trailer | The Hawk Eye - Burlington, Iowa

This is one MESS Des Moines County is fortunate to have.

DMC Emergency Management Coordinator Shannon Prado said the Mobile Electrical Storage System (MESS) is a versatile resource for disaster response and emergency operations. The MESS will provide reliable, portable electrical power in locations where traditional infrastructure has been compromised or is unavailable.

Steve New, founder of SolarPunkIt, a Florida based company that sells all the appurtenances to outfit a trailer and retrofit it as a solar installation was in Des Moines County this week to provide technical services and training on how to utilize the trailer for emergency response and public education.

DMC Emergency Management received a grant from the Iowa Economic Development Authority for $90,000.

Prado said Kenny Oleson, who represents Des Moines County on the Clean Energy Districts of Iowa board, was an invaluable resource in getting the funds secured to purchase the trailer.

Prado said she envisions the trailer as a charging hub to support first responders during extended incidents, ensuring that critical communications equipment, medical devices, tools, and personal electronics remain operation throughout prolonged emergency operations. Beyond serving as a power source, the MESS has the potential to function as a mobile command post, or remote EOC (emergency operations center), providing a dependable platform for incident management. Its capabilities will also allow Des Moines County Emergency Management to partner with neighboring jurisdictions, public safety agencies, and other organizations during disasters by supplying temporary electrical support wherever it is needed most.

Oleson doesn’t want the trailer to sit around in the Des Moines County Emergency Management parking lot waiting for disaster to strike.

He sees the trailer, adorned on the outside with movable solar panels, as an opportunity to educate the public about the advantages of sustainable energy sources and production.

The trailer made an appearance at the Downtown Farmers Market last week before the sky opened up.

New got his start when he retrofitted a trailer that he used in his lawncare business with solar panels. He started posting his process to social media, specifically YouTube. That is where Oleson learned about SolarPunkIt and started the process of getting some grant funds to purchase a trailer for the county.

The grant was $90,000, and the trailer was purchased for $75,000. The rest of the money is going toward training for county staff that could use the trailer – emergency management, and law enforcement mostly.

The trailer could be a boon in the instance of a sustained, long-term power outage Oleson said. Backup generators run for a finite period when gas is available to fuel them. The solar panel trailer has an extended amount of time; it can continue to provide power as long as the sun is shining.

It also makes it possible to charge and store backup batteries that can be loaned out during emergency situations to county residents in need. Oleson said first responders get calls from homebound residents who may have lost power needed for medical equipment. Oleson said the batteries could be loaned out until power comes back on. The difference could be an ambulance trip to the hospital to continue to receive the treatment in the comfort of their home. Oleson said he is working on a grant application to purchase the rechargeable battery packs.

While parked, the panels can be elevated from the sides of the trailer from both sides to bask in the sun’s rays. The panels fully extend, making it possible for the panels on the shaded side of the trailer to reach high enough over the top of the trailer to also catch the rays.

The trailer has a large capacity for providing power. It can power-up technology, fans, a heat source. Individuals can plug in to power-up devices. Because it’s mobile, it can be transported anywhere in the county where there is a need for more power. Citizens who have been affected by a disaster, man-made or weather, won’t have to travel somewhere to get access to power.

It can’t, however, provide enough electricity to power up a building.

Unlike gas-powered generators that are loud and emit fumes, solar power is quiet, and odor free. Oleson said having the trailer on display at the Downtown Farmers Market is an opportunity to share this contrast with the public. Gas-powered generators keep the food trucks in service during the market.

The battery that stores the electricity inside the trailer has enough capacity to provide one home full power for two days. Oleson said that is everything – lights, heat/air, and appliances. Without air conditioning, that power can last for six days.

Once completely used up, it takes two full days of sunshine to restore the battery to full power.

Prado said Oleson was an invaluable resource in putting the application together, providing technical assistance, “Kenny played a pivotal role in the planning and development of this project, lending his expertise in the design of the trailer’s electrical infrastructure, solar power integration, and overall technical capabilities,” Prado said.

Prado said Des Moines County was not required to provide a local match for the grant funds, and the trailer will enhance the county’s emergency preparedness capabilities without placing any financial burden on local taxpayers.

“I am excited to see this envision come to life, as it represents a significant investment in the county’s emergency preparedness and response capabilities,” Prado said.