Supporting the Government’s Unified Command Center after the Key Bridge Collapse
Supporting the Government’s Unified Command Center after the Key Bridge Collapse
Brandon Couser is a Voyatek Helpdesk Specialist who provides service desk and field support for the Maryland Port Administration (MPA). Brandon and his colleagues are responsible for the health of MPA’s IT ecosystem, an important job under any circumstances, but one that became even more mission critical—and complex—when the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024 after being struck by a container ship.
The bridge’s collapse cut off access for the Port of Baltimore, one of the United States’ busiest ports. The Department of Labor estimated that 270,000 workers were affected by the incident, and the economic impact for Maryland was estimated to be $192 million per day.
Federal and local agencies quickly combined forces to set up a Unified Command Center at the Maryland Cruise Terminal. Representatives from dozens of state, local, and federal agencies needed to strategize, coordinate, and measure progress.
Brandon was tasked with supporting the IT needs of every agency on site: From the Coast Guard to the Governor’s Office to the Department of Homeland Security, Brandon made sure that everyone had the hardware, software, and network access that they needed.
USACE Chief of Engineers Lt. Gen. Scott Spellmon views damage of the fallen Francis Scott Key Bridge that collapsed in Baltimore, March 26, 2024. (U.S. Army Corps of Engineers photo by Maj. Spencer Garrison)
The collaboration across federal, state, and local governments minimized long-term impact and resulted in a successful rapid response. A new channel was opened for shallow-draft vessels within a week, and half the channel’s width was cleared within 30 days, opening the port for deep-draft craft. In just 78 days, the channel was fully restored.
