October 22 2020 Board Meeting
/
Department Of Emergency Management
and 911 Communications
230 Government Center Drive, Suite 115
Wilmington, North Carolina 28403
Telephone (910) 798-6920
Fax (910) 798-6925
hdowns@nhcgov.com
Hope Downs
Director
Memorandum
To:
Public Safety Communications Center Policy Board Members
From:
Hope
Downs, Director
Subject:
October 22, 2020 Board Meeting
Date:
October 23, 2020
A Public Safety Communications Center Policy Board meeting was held on Thursday October 22,
2020 at 10:00 am at 230 Government Center Drive, Wilmington, North Carolina.
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Matt Davis Tim Burgess
Tim Corbett Jerry Brewer
Steven
Still
Sam Proffitt
Cindy Hewett
Alan Griffin
Steve Mason
Participants
Hope Downs, NHC 911 Debora Cottle, NHC 911
John Heysel, NHC 911 Karen Benton, NHC 911
Gia Long,
NHC IT Jennifer Smith, NHC Fire
Chris Graham, Wilmington Fire Mike Gomes, City of Wilmington
Charles Blankenship, EMS Matt Ingram, Wilimington Police
The meeting was called
to order at 10:07 am.
The Chair nor Vice Chair were present; Hope Downs started the meeting.
Director Downs asked if everyone had a chance to review the summary from August 27, 2020
meeting and asked if there were any questions, comments or corrections. No one had any. Director Downs asked if there was a motion to
approve; Steve Mason made a motion, Steven Still seconded. All in favor for approving the minutes; none opposed. Motion passed.
OLD BUSINESS:
Freedom and Central Square
Director
Downs asked if there were any outstanding issues with Central Square and Freedom; Gia stated there are no current issues with either. They are working with Central Square on a resolution
from the 20.1 upgrade affecting fire.
Director Downs asked if anyone had any other issues or comments about Central Square or Freedom; there were none.
Elections
Director Downs asked
if there were any nominations for Chair. Steven Still nominated Steve Mason. Sam Proffitt seconded the nomination of Steve Mason for Chair. All approved.
Director Downs asked if there
is a nomination for Vice Chair. Steve Mason nominated Sam Proffitt. Steven Still seconded the nomination. All approved.
NEW BUSINESS
Chairman Mason asked if Zak Whicker would update
everyone on the radios. Zak stated that they need to discuss and review encryption of the channels 33, 34, 35 for planned or significant events. This would require updating the radios
and there is a cost associated with this update. Steven Still stated the last time the updates cost $75 per radio. Chairman Mason asked if this could be done internally. The Sheriff’s
Office has the capability to do theirs but not all agencies have that option. This needs further discussion. Zak said that if each agency would let him know who the contact would be
for this; he would get more information for the next meeting.
Zak also mentioned a revamp of the templates. This would help verify that agencies have all the channels needed during
an emergency.
Chairman Mason asked if the radio issues of encrypting channels and revamping the template be put on the December Board meeting.
Chairman Mason asked if there were any
questions or issues. There were none.
OTHER ITEMS AND REPORTS
9-1-1 Center
Chairman Mason asked Hope Downs to update everyone on the 911 Center. Hope stated that the staff had been
transitioned back to the main center.
There are currently two new hires in training; they are going through classes for EMD, EFD and EPD.
There are eight potential new hires that will start November 17, 2020.
The
staff are in the hiring process of the open CTO positions.
ESInet went live on September 16, 2020. Staff are working through the open tickets with the vendor. One of the issues
is PowerOps showing the telecommunicator busy when they are available.
Chairman Mason asked if anyone had any other items or questions.
IT
Cindy Hewett stated that IT is working on
the court system project Juris Link. This project will start being implemented Saturday and there is not a projected complete date.
IT is working on the OJJ and DJJ building with a
ribbon cutting date of February 21, 2021.
Auto Dispatch is progressing; Purvis is the selected vendor. This will reduce call processing times. Paperwork on this project will start
in November and hopefully be implemented at the first of the year. Hope stated Purvis did a demonstration to some of the agencies this morning. Cindy will follow up with Hope.
IT
staff has audited accounts to keep on top of any vulnerability in security of the systems to forestall any breaches.
Chairman Mason asked if there were any other items; there were
none.
Meeting adjourned 10:54