Before there was a global pandemic, JRM Consultants provided security to some of the most prominent entertainment events in the country including the Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, and New Years Rockin’ Eve in Los Angeles and New Orleans.
In early March business as usual simply wasn’t anymore. “Business had come to a halt. Everyone canceled events and JRM is an event driven business,” said Mike Izquerdo, Vice President of JRM Consultants.
“We had heard on the news about a Federal Medical Station at the LA Convention Center.” JRM is a preferred vendor for the convention center and asked to be vetted. “It was an opportunity…to put our people to work” Izquerdo explained. And JRM wanted do our part to help in any way we can with the frontline workers, first responders, medical professionals during the Pandemic.
When JRM started work at the Los Angeles Convention Center their top first assignment was to attend trainings conducted by the Los Angeles Fire Department to learn PPE protocol, how to administer proper temperature checks and testing, hand washing and other safety requirements that keep a location safe and COVID-free.
Federal Medical Stations (FMS) are packaged field hospitals that are a part of the national emergency stockpile managed by the Center for Disease Control and the State of California Office of Emergency Services. The Los Angeles Fire Department provides oversight for day-to-day operations of the FMS.
LA Convention Center’s FMS had to remain fluid and ready to expand within 24 hours. JRM along with all the other agencies involved attended regular meetings. “Everyone listened to the Mayor’s briefings and the daily metrics on how many cases vs. how many hospital beds. Plans are made accordingly on a daily basis.”
When asked why they turned to SJM Radio for their communications Izquerdo replied, “We’ve worked with SJM. We know we can count on them. They’re the best.”
The Convention Center FMS has been a non-COVID positive facility designated for hospital overflow. If caseloads had increased as the models had predicted the facility was prepared to convert to a COVID positive facility and increase capacity within 24 hours.
Mario Campos SJM’s Rental Manager had a scalable solution, “We started with a limited coverage system to get their team talking to each other. SJM has a repeater system in place from previous jobs at the Convention Center so basically with the “flip of a switch the coverage could be expanded to the entire facility.” SJM donated Motorola radios and is ready to convert to the more powerful repeater system to instantly deliver wall-to-wall coverage and drastically increase the capacity of both the number of radios and increased transmission traffic.
So far, the LA Convention Center FMS has not been utilized.
There’s intrinsic value in going through the exercise of activating a plan. LA is no stranger to disaster response but a global pandemic gave our community and the world a reality check and the new reality will look quite different that the one we thought we knew.
Izquerdo agrees, “The experience has been invaluable. The knowledge we gained is transferrable outside of the crisis.” JRM is already planning for when people start doing events again, “Now JRM has the training and first-hand experience to offer clients this new service; providing health and safety consultation for clients. We’ve purchased hundreds of no-contact thermometers,” and added “that his people are being trained on how to conduct proper temperature checks, basic health checks (knowing what to look for), PPE protocol, hand washing” and a host of other concerns businesses need to consider as they begin to reopen. “JRM can now provide these services to our clients.”
As business begins to re-open it’s more important than ever to make careful, thoughtful plans centered on health and safety. Let us know if we can help.