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January 27 2005 PSCC Board Meeting NEW HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 20 North 4th Street Wilmington, NC 28401 Phone: (910) 341-4258 Fax: (910) 341-4038 E-Steve Smith mail: stsmith@nhcgov.com Director Memorandum To: Public Safety Communications Center Policy Board Members From: Steve Smith, Director Subject: January 27, 2005 Policy Board Summary Date: February 4, 2005 A Public Safety Communications Center Policy Board meeting was held on Thursday, January 27, 2005 in Room 501 of the New Hanover County Administration Building, 320 Chestnut Street, Wilmington, North Carolina. MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT: Chairman Frank Blackley Dave Weaver, Excused Steve Smith Mary Ann Hinshaw, Excused Warren Lee Jan Kavanaugh, Excused Lt. William Hoehlein Donnie Hall Leslie Stanfield Dennis Cooper Sterling Powell Robert Matheson Sgt. Ed Gibson Brian Roberts Chief W.K. Younginer, Representing Carolina Beach Cliff Robinson, Representing County Fire Services GUESTS: Brenda Hewlett, Public Safety Communications Center Sgt. Michael Clemmons, Wilmington Police Department John Murray, Federal Engineering, Inc. Adam Nelson, Federal Engineering, Inc. Alan Boritz, Federal Engineering, Inc. Steve Smith, Director of Public Safety Communications Center, called the meeting to order at 10:03 a.m. Chairman Blackley will be delayed due to a prior commitment. 2 Summaries from the last three meetings – September 23, October 28, and December 2, 2004 were approved as written. Sterling Powell made a motion to approve the summaries. Sgt. Ed Gibson seconded the motion. Motion passed. 􀂾 Sgt. Ed Gibson, City of Wilmington Police Department, introduced his replacement on the Public Safety Communications Board. 􀁸 Sgt. Mike Clemmons will be taking his place. 􀁸 Lt. Blanton will remain the alternate for the City of Wilmington Police Department. 􀂾 Steve Smith introduced Brenda Hewlett, who has been promoted to fill the vacant Telecommunicator Supervisor position. 􀁸 In addition to her new duties, Ms. Hewlett will remain as the data base coordinator for the Public Safety Communications Center. 􀁸 Ms. Hewlett’s position has been downgraded to a telecomunicator position in order to fill a vacancy on one of the squads. 􀁸 She will be the Public Safety Communication Center’s alternate to the Policy Board. 􀂾 Brian Roberts, Town of Carolina Beach Fire Chief, introduced Chief Younginer. OLD BUSINESS 800 MHz Radio System: Warren Lee gave Committee members a brief update on the 800 MHz radio system improvement project before introducing the staff members from Federal Engineering, Inc. 􀂾 At the December 2, 2004 board meeting, a draft version of the request for qualifications for the New Hanover County 800 MHz radio system improvements project was distributed to Committee members for their review. 􀁸 The request for qualifications was sent out to various engineering firms to evaluate and conduct a full analysis of the County’s existing 800 MHz radio system. 􀁸 The recommendations were presented to the Board of County Commissioners for their approval. 􀁸 Staff received packages from six firms who were interested in doing the project, four of those firms met the established criteria, and two firms did not meet the established criteria. 􀁸 Interviews were conducted with the four firms before Christmas. 􀁸 Federal Engineering, Inc. from Virginia was the staff’s choice of the four firms interviewed to conduct and complete the project for the County. 􀁸 A kick off meeting was held on Monday, January 24, 2005, with staff members from Federal Engineering, Inc. 􀁸 Federal Engineering, Inc. staff members have been in town all week and have conducted interviews with several of the agencies to acknowledge what their issues and concerns are with the current system. Federal Engineering, Inc. Presentation: Warren Lee introduced John Murray, Vice President, Federal Engineering, Inc.; Alan Boritz, Senior Consultant with the firm and Adam Nelson, who is assisting Mr. Boritz with the interviews. 􀂾 Staff will present a proposal to the Board of County Commissioners at its February 21, 2005 meeting. 3 􀁸 If the proposal is approved, staff will proceed with procuring the necessary equipment needed for the 800 MHz radio system improvement project. 􀁸 It is the goal of County staff to have the 800 MHz radio system improvement project operational before the end of the year. US Marshal Service Request to Access the County’s 800 MHz Radio System: Warren Lee reported that he has received a request from the US Marshal Service requesting permission to access the County’s 800 MHz radios system. 􀂾 Committee members have received a copy of the request. 􀁸 The US Marshal Service will need to contact and get written approval from the City of Wilmington Police Department and the New Hanover Sheriff’s Office, since they will be the primary contacts. 􀁸 Contact with Coastal Electronics has been made regarding the necessary talk groups and templates needed to implement the request. 􀁸 Sgt. Ed Gibson made a motion to approve the proposal. Sterling Powell seconded the motion. Motion passed. 􀂾 Interoperability between local and Federal agencies is improving. State Port Police Department: Warren Lee reported on information he received from the State Port Police Department regarding a Governors Crime Commission grant application. 􀂾 The State Port Police Department is applying for a Governors Crime Commission grant and one of the stipulations of the grant is that the organization has a memorandum of understanding (MOA) with the local agencies for use of their radio system. 􀁸 During the later part of last year, The Public Safety Communications Center Policy Board gave authorization to the State Port Police Department to program some of their radios using the County’s system. 􀁸 As part of the process, a draft copy of the MOA was sent to Mr. Lee for his approval. 􀁸 Committee members will receive a copy of the proposal when it is finalized. Motorola Proposal: Steve Smith reported on the proposal he received from Motorola on the equipment for the new Center. 􀂾 A proposal from Motorola was received for the consoles, radios, telephones, and furniture for the new center. 􀁸 Federal Engineering, Inc. will examine the proposal. 􀁸 The proposal is over $2 million and it will include 16 positions, and upgrades to the telephones and the radios. 􀁸 Watson Furniture Group, Inc. will be the vendor for the new console furniture. New Public Safety Communications Center: Steve Smith gave an update on the new Public Safety Communications Center. 􀂾 Ground has been broken for the new Center and a fence has been installed around the construction area. 􀁸 The interior walls for the administrative offices are being constructed. 4 Back-Up Center: Steve Smith reported on the back-up center. 􀂾 Discussions on a back-up center have been held with the County Manager and Assistant County Manager. 􀁸 Once the Center is relocated, the equipment currently being utilized will be purchased by the County and used as back-up equipment in a back-up center (not known at this time). 􀁸 When more information is received a detailed presentation will be provided for Board members. NEW BUSINESS Information Technology Sub-Committee Report: Leslie Stanfield reported on the Information Technology Sub-Committee Report. 􀂾 The pager server issues have been resolved. 􀂾 Staff is discussing the equipment needs for the new Center. 􀂾 Staff has been working with the agencies on the implementation of the unit recommend module. 􀂾 The Board of County Commissioners approved the purchase of the fire priority dispatch module. 􀁸 Priority Dispatch is working on a contract to implement the new software package. 􀁸 The MDT’s will also have access to the fire priority priority dispatch module. 􀁸 The module information will provide more consistency and should enhance the nature codes for the agencies. 􀂾 Staff is in the process of arranging a meeting with OSSI to discuss site licensing for County software and MDT issues. 􀂾 In December, several Committee members visited Johnson County’s dispatch center. 􀁸 Johnson County is a multi-jurisdiction dispatch center that dispatches for a number of municipal departments as well as the County. 􀂾 A request will be included in next year’s budget to purchase the police priority dispatch module. 􀁸 The module is similar to the fire and EMD priority dispatch modules. 􀁸 The nature codes enclosed with the module software package are pertinent to that module, but can be easily adapted to meet the agencies needs. 􀂾 The clock synchronization in the CAD system needs to be addressed. 􀁸 The time stamp for the CAD consoles is issued from the time listed on the PC instead of the time listed on the server; therefore listing incorrect response times. 􀁸 If the time stamp would be issued off the server, the response times would be consistent for all users. 􀁸 Staff will contact OSSI and inquire on what actions are needed to correct the problem. 􀁸 Even though one clock is used with the network, the network has several connections which may cause a delay in the response time. 􀂾 The County staff now has the capability to insert alias’s for the different agencies. 􀁸 The information is loaded directly into the CAD system, and is in the same format that Coastal Electronics utilizes. 5 􀁸 The individual agencies have the option to extract their information and copy it to a floppy disk so that changes may be done by the agency. Mapping: 􀂾 The intersection names in the CAD mapping program need to be addressed. 􀁸 If the intersection name is not typed in the way the system has it programmed, it will identify it incorrectly (17th Street & Market and Market and 17th Street). 􀁸 Street names are also disappearing when certain functions are utilized. 􀁸 The map loads for the resource monitors are very slow and may be related to the network problems. 􀂾 A new upgrade connection for the MDT’s is being installed next week. 􀁸 The upgrade should improve the connection to the State. 􀁸 All of the County’s MDT traffic comes in on that one connection and the all the DCI traffic goes out through that one connection. 􀁸 In the past, users were experiencing time outs due to the limitations being put on the connection which was prohibiting the data from being processed. 􀁸 DCI service should improve with the upgrade and the frequencies of time outs should be reduced. Public Safety Communications Center Report: Steve Smith distributed the PSAP Overview Call Distribution Comparison from December 2003 to 2004; the PSAP Overview from December 1, to December 31, 2004; Events by Nature Codes by Agency; and a handout on the Phone and CAD Event Volume for Calendar Year 2004. Please refer to the handouts for more detail. 􀂾 Mr. Smith gave a Power Point presentation on the phone and CAD event volume for calendar year 2004. 􀂾 The Center currently has several people in training. 􀂾 The Center is in the process of hiring a squad supervisor. 􀁸 The position was publicly advertised and the Department of Human Resources has sent over six applications for the position. 􀁸 Currently, all six applicants are working in the Center. 􀁸 Mr. Smith would like a volunteer from fire, law and EMS participate in the interview process. Miscellaneous: Chairman Blackley has requested that the summary be distributed to Committee members in a timelier manner. The next scheduled meeting will be held on Thursday, February 24, 2005, at 10:00 a.m. in Room 501 of the County Administration Building, 320 Chestnut Street, Wilmington, North Carolina. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned at 11:13 a.m. Sgt. Ed Gibson made a motion to adjourn. Lt. William Hoehlein seconded the motion. Motion passed.