Douglas County Emergency Management handles big problems. Now the agency has a big TV to match.

The department recently used Federal Emergency Management Agency money doled out by the state to buy a $4,700 50-inch flat screen television. Officials said it would help them keep track of developing situations better than the two old 25-inch TVs it replaced.

“This is a technology upgrade for us,” said Paula Phillips, the county’s emergency management director. “Sometimes it’s hard for our spotter to actually see what’s going on with the smaller sets, and more emergency operation centers in other places have state-of-the-art technology.”

The new set may seem extravagant to some – an anonymous caller to the Journal-World complained Wednesday – but Phillips said it’s something that other emergency operation departments are using, too.

The Johnson County Emergency Management & Homeland Security office currently uses 27-inch television sets and equipment to project images onto walls or large screens, said Charley Marlow, assistant director for operations for that office.

Paula Phillips, Douglas County Emergency management director, sets up a new 50-inch flat screen TV at the Douglas County Judicial & Law Enforcement Center.

“But we’re hoping to improve technology later this year if we have the money to do it,” Marlow said. “I think as agencies look at upgrades, it’s more realistic to consider flat screen televisions now, because the price on them is going down. I would have liked to have seen us go to them sooner.”

Mike Baughman, program assistant for the Wyandotte County Emergency Management Department, said his department has invested in projectors. The department also has flat screen monitors in its mobile command vehicle.

Shawnee County Emergency Management Department officials intend to invest in projectors. Shawnee County Emergency Management director Gary Middleton said the department currently used computer screens, which makes it difficult for people to track what is happening. Projectors would alleviate some of the problem, he said.

“I’m sure flat screen televisions would work too, but projectors work better for the space we have,” Middleton said.