Taking charge
by Chris Cavette

Bigger incidents that affect more people across many regions of the country translate into a need for specialized command units.Over the past decade, fire departments have shown a growing interest in using specialized command units to deal with major incidents. Along with that interest has come an increased level of sophistication in selecting the vehicles, equipment and technology necessary to handle a wide range of jobs.

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Bumperchute shelter targeted at tailgaters, outdoor types

Bill Christenson, co-owner of Bumperchute along with his wife, Renee, sets up one of the portable canopies on a vehicle's back end. Now in their second year of operation, the Christensons have already cracked one key market: emergency vehicles.
[Phil H. Webber/Seattle P-I]

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READY FOR ACTION

In its sixth season, CBS's popular CSI television program featured the Bumperchute Command Post in a program entitled “Still Life” about the search for a missing child.

More information about the episode is at cbs.com.

Gearing Up: Make your SUV even roomier

If you saw the "Still Life" episode of the CBS series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," you may have noticed the Bumperchute. This nifty tailgate canopy for sport utility vehicles creates shelter from the sun or wind. It's used by first responders in the real world, too.

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Product Spotlight

The Bumperchute is one of three accessories reviewed for use by fire and police departments. It is described as “a uniquely designed tailgate canopy” that “greatly increases the visibility of the unit.”

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Hands On: Command Portability

Standing under the raised lift gate of an EMS command SUV may keep you out of the hot sun or bad weather, but when you need to fit three or four people under there, it gets crowded. And if you have an SUV with side-opening cargo doors instead of a lift gate, you don't have any cover. The Bumperchute Command Post offers you an area extended beyond the hatch (or provides cover for vehicles without a hatch) that can be installed easily in less than two minutes. Made from 70-denier rip-stop nylon and supported by collapsible, shock-corded, aluminum poles, the Bumperchute easily attaches to the roof rack; you can use a detachable roof mounting kit for vehicles without a roof rack. The Bumperchute is available in a number of colors and retails from $175–375, depending on vehicle model. full article

Bumperchute Command Post Flag & Light

Personnel arriving on scene shouldn't have to ask “Where's the command post?” But finding a sedan- or SUV-size command post in a sea of massive fire and rescue apparatus can pose a challenge. The Command Post Flag and Light from the folks at Bumperchute provides a green “CP” flag with a green beacon mounted on a collapsible, 10´ aluminum, shock-corded pole that attaches to the side of the vehicle via extra strong magnets. The beacon is visible from two miles away and can be set to stay lit or to flash. The Command Post Flag and Light retails for $150.

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