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07 24 2008 Board Meeting NEW HANOVER COUNTY PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS CENTER 230 Government Center Dr, Suite 185 Wilmington, NC 28403 Phone: (910) 798-6922 Fax: (910) 798-6925 E-mail: bhewlett@nhcgov.com Brenda Hewlett Acting Director Memorandum To: Public Safety Communications Center Policy Board Members From: Brenda Hewlett, Acting Director Subject: July 24, 2008 Board Summary Date: July 28, 2008 A Public Safety Communications Center Policy Board meeting was held on Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 10:00 AM in the Emergency Operating Center, 220 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina. MEMBERS PRESENT: Sterling Powell Dorian Flowers, Excused MEMBERS ABSENT: Brenda Hewlett Genia Boswell, Excused Michael Core Sharon Kane, Excused Larry Bergman Andre’ Mallette Tom Eason Jerry Brewer William Younginer Leslie Stanfield Warren Lee Wayne Pearce Chris Nelson Cynthia Deacon GUESTS:Tom Hood, Wireless Communications Kelly Brandt, Wireless Communications Mike Cavalluzzi, Motorola/Wireless Alan Talkington, Wireless Communications Chairman Powell called the meeting to order at 10:05 A.M. Tom Hood introduced Kelly Brandt and Alan Talkington to everyone. They are new to Wireless Communications in Wilmington but Alan relocated from Charlotte. Chairman Powell asked if everyone had reviewed the June 26, 2008 minutes and if anyone had any questions, comments or changes. Brenda stated the section that Chief Jordan wanted to be called and she has done so. There has been a new memo put out about coded dispatch and everything seems to be going as it should. Chairman Powell reminded everyone that the three month trial ends next month and every agency is encouraged to be here for the discussion to add their input. Chairman Powell asked if there was a motion to approve the minute, Larry Bergman made a motion and Tom Eason seconded. Motion approved. Old Business: Warren Lee updated everyone on the 800 MHz system. They are close to a signed agreement. If not this week then it should be early next week. Federal Engineering is working on including everyone’s contact information, email and tax ID numbers. If Federal Engineering calls you, please work with them and get them this information. Tom Eason asked about the new radios, rebanding and programming done simultaneously and Warren said no, they would have to be done separately. Some can probably be done at the same time but not all of the programming. Once we are off some of the frequencies, they will have to be re-tuned. Larry Bergman stated they had approval in their budget to replace every one that does not have digital and finance is working on the logistics now. Tom Hood stated that it would take less than thirty days to get the rebanding completed. Mike said the radios ordered would be delivered to Wireless and delivery time on orders takes about three weeks. Warren went to the Motorola User Network Meeting last we and there was a discussion of there not being a clean way to do the flash upgrades on the radios. The software enhancement will have to be done after the receipt of the replacement radios not at the factory level. Warren budgeted for the radios in the county that are receiving flash upgrades. As soon as the final list is ready, Warren will get everyone a copy of the agreement. Warren thinks it may be within a month or so and that will start process for scheduling with Federal Engineering, Wireless and Motorola. Warren stated that there was a hiccup this weekend with the recorder. Alan said the CPU wasn’t processing information and the system watch needed to be restarted. The system was tweaked and there shouldn’t be a problem anymore. Warren got a message about lightening which was puzzling as there shouldn’t be any in the box. Alan said the radios are tied in together. If one gets hit by lightening, the all do. There would have been messages like “out of range”. It was fine when he was here this weekend, there was just a Carolina Recording System processor which was changed out and everything came right up. Chairman Powell asked if there was anything else under Old Business. New Business: Public Safety Communications Center: Chairman Powell turned the meeting over to Brenda. Brenda stated that Warren, Wayne, Debora and she met with the State Highway Patrol. They talked about Viper across the state and their center in Elizabethtown. Our center is on target as far as they are concerned and there are no real issues. There were four new employees added this month. One, a retired firefighter from 9-1-1 issues in New York, couldn’t stay as the inside conditions were not what he was looking for a new direction. There are three others in training and are doing ride alongs. This gives them perspective from the other side of the radio. The center is short three full time positions. The Sheriff’s Department gave the center a nice gift that cost nothing. A couple of weeks ago, we had calls that we referred back to the Sheriff’s Department, complaining about the deputies telling the wrecker services what to charge for services. The wrecker drivers are telling users of their services that the deputies are telling them what to charge. This caused the Sheriff’s Department to do away with rotations. When they have someone in need of a wrecker, they give them a list of wrecker services with numbers so that they can call their own. Tom stated that years ago they used to have lists of wreckers with the phone numbers and their prices. This took a lot of pressure off of the officers and also seemed to bring down the price of the wrecker services. Brenda informed everyone that the rotation didn’t work all the time as she was getting complaints from the wrecker services that they were called out on a service call and they did not give service and they wanted to be put back on the top of the rotation. They did go out for a call but may have just jumped the car off and they wanted to be put back at the top of rotation. This is something that would get them taken off of the rotation list. Chairman Powell stated that the patching seemed to be working well and catching on. He also encourages everyone to keep asking to be patched so that all can get more familiar with use. Warren stated the NC SBI and Alcohol Law Enforcement wanted to be added to talk groups, though they are not to be dispatched by New Hanover County. The forms for the requests are complete or almost complete and returning them in. With the Boards blessing they will be added. They will be heard talking from time to time and SBI may have a talk group of their own. They wanted to add some of our common channels. Chairman Powell asked if they have National Mutual Aid channels and Warren informed him that they do. The Sheriff’s Department called him earlier this week and asked for the Viper ID for the new helicopter. There are about 100 of them and they will have to work out a procedure for the Viper ID’s. Some agencies won’t need them and some will need more than others. If there is a need to talk when outside of the county back to the county then Viper is needed. Chairman Powell asked if there was a deadline for requests on Viper ID’s and Warren said no, if there is a legitimate need for Viper ID’s, they will try to give it to the agency that needs them, just let Warren know if there is a need. If there are a smaller agency that only has two vehicles that go outside of the county, then only two Viper ID’s are needed. If there is a shortage of Viper ID’s we may be able to get more if there is evidence that they are needed. Chairman Powell turned the meeting to nominations for officers of the Board and opened the floor. No one spoke up and Chairman Powell stated that he would step up this year and if Andre’ had any objections to remain Vice Chair. Everyone voted and a motion was passed that Chairman Powell and Andre’ Mallette would remain as Chairman and Vice Chair. Chairman Powell reminded everyone about the coded dispatch discussion next month and encouraged anyone with input for this discussion to attend the August meeting. Chairman Powell adjourned at 10:35 A.M.