In Texas, the City of Arlington’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of its residents and safeguarding against potential natural and human-caused disasters. Like any city, Arlington is exposed to hazards that can disrupt communities, cause damage and threaten lives. But adding to that is the complexity of a fast-growing metro area that offers a multitude of attractions and hosts several large-scale events each year, placing an even greater responsibility on the preparedness of Arlington’s OEM.
Arlington’s emergency resources are coordinated in collaboration with public and private partners from the Emergency Operations Center (EOC). Located in the OTT Cribbs Public Safety Center, the EOC is activated in response to large special events, natural disasters and man-made emergencies. These can include floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, civil unrest, public health emergencies and sporting-related events.
To improve their monitoring and response capabilities and make use of the latest tools that are available, Arlington engaged control room designer Activu to perform a comprehensive technology upgrade of the EOC, leading to the integration of a nearly 16-foot-wide, 4.5-foot-high (8x4) Planar® DirectLight® Ultra™ Series MicroLED video wall with a 0.6mm pixel pitch (DLU0.6).
The MicroLED video wall provides EOC operators with a mission-critical display for visualizing data and optimizing decision making. “We wanted a fine enough resolution so that people sitting two feet away from the video wall could view content just as easily as people sitting in the back of the room,” said OEM Emergency Management Administrator Irish Hancock. “The 0.6 pixel pitch was absolutely the right solution for our EOC.”
The premium Planar DirectLight Ultra Series MicroLED video wall not only delivers the comfortable close-up viewing the EOC needed but features other advancements that make it compelling for an always on environment. These include the self-adjusting Planar® ActivAlign™ module alignment technology that retains seamless visualization as well as the Planar® EverCare™ Lifetime Limited Warranty. In addition to the Planar DirectLight Ultra Series MicroLED video wall, thirteen Planar® Simplicity™ M Series 4K LCD displays ranging from 43-inch to 75-inch were also installed in the EOC, including directly outside the room and throughout other key spaces of the Public Safety Center.
A graduate of DeVry Institute of Technology, Doug has been in the Technology industry since 1976 and actively oversees Fearing’s daily operations. Along with his wife, Lois, and three others, Doug started Fearing’s in a 600 square-foot facility in Portage, Wisconsin. In the 25 years since, the company has grown to over 30 employees with offices in Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Doug likes to say he’s a “TV Technician with a dream� going back to his history with the family’s original business-Fearing’s TV and Appliance.
Doug values time with family, watersports, hiking, snowshoeing and skiing. In addition to being a devoted member of his church, Doug serves as Board President for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County, Board member of Schools for Haiti and Scripture Chair of the Gideons-Portage camp.
A graduate of MATC, Lois oversees Fearing’s daily book keeping along with various HR responsibilities.
Along with Doug, Lois is deeply connected to community outreach, serving as a Board member and Fundraising Committee Chairperson for Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County. She also serves on the Schools for Haiti Fundraising committee. In addition, Lois’ ongoing passion and commitment to provide care for the elderly comes from her 10-year history of working in a Reedsburg, Wisconsin Nursing home.
Lois enjoys singing, hiking, sunny days on the pontoon, and spending time with her 4 grandchildren.
Ehren drives Fearing’s technology by continually seeking out trends to enhance capabilities while supporting Sales, Engineering and Installation teams. Throughout his years with Fearing’s, Ehren’s talent and vision have joined forces to create a wide variety of projects and strategic solutions that exceed expectation.
Ehren loves music, family time, movies, nature, sustainability efforts and electric vehicles.
With 10 years with Fearing’s and over twice that long in the industry, Ben continues to lead, coordinate, and develop the Commercial AV team.
By consistently delivering an outstanding experience and outcome, Ben contributes to the Fearing’s legacy of long-lasting partnerships that truly make a difference. Whatever the Commercial AV need may be, Ben and team deliver at the highest level.
Ben is an avid fisherman and photographer. He enjoys coaching his sons and other youth.
Chris has been with Fearing’s for 20 years and in the industry for over 2 decades. As a Certified leader in Sales Acceleration and trained in EOS (Entrepreneurial Operating Systems), Chris successfully utilizes his skills to lead the Fearing’s Salesforce. Chris and team are motivated and driven to develop new client partnerships while continuing to reinforce loyal long-term relationships with ongoing Service excellence.
Married for 19 years with 3 children, Chris enjoys skiing, hiking, fishing, boating, hunting, camping and golf. He’s also been actively involved as a Youth Football and Softball coach for his family and others.
