Dade County’s Emergency Management/ E911 Director Alex Case asked for a total of $1.6 million in SPLOST funds to update the county’s dispatching center, radio equipment, software and other items.
The county currently operates their dispatch center on a VHF frequency and needs to move to an 800 mega hertz (MHz) system. There are a couple of reasons for this according to Case. During 9-11 public safety officials and employees found it difficult to communicate to different departments and organizations using radios. Everyone was on a different frequency and system. Progress has been made toward fixing public safety interdepartmental communication issues through the Federal Communications Commission and other federal agencies.
The Communications Commission has set aside part of the 700 MHz and 800 MHz frequencies for public safety use only. The frequencies provide clearer digital service to the personnel using them and will allow the departments to communicate more efficiently with each other.
Imagine as a Law Enforcement officer during a disaster being able to get the utilities turned off at a location and communicate with EMS and fire personnel to rescue a trapped victim and doing so with the touch of a button. Upgrading Dade County to the new system would help all EMS, fire, law enforcement and eventually public works and the school systems not only in Dade County, but in surrounding areas, to communicate this way through use of portable radios during a disaster. Case said that mobile radios will still be needed to a point especially in fire and EMS vehicles, but everyone would be able to simulcast on one complete network.
”(The SPLOST money) would allow us to upgrade the 911 system which is vital to everyone,” Brandon said.
There are many other benefits to updating the E911 system that would link Dade County to emergency services and assistance from Hamilton County. Catoosa County has already spent their money and are currently working on the 800 MHz system with Chattanooga, according to Case.
The Federal Communications Commission has given all public safety departments until 2013 to move to the new system.
While there are problems with communication traffic from other commercial radio users like construction and transportation companies filtering in to local emergency radio traffic, Case said in a few years, the problem would be even worse causing safety issues for both citizens and public safety personnel.
“Five years from now we would be one of the only counties using the old system,” Brandon said.
Case agrees with Brandon and says another problem would be grant availability. Federal grants have been made available to help departments to move to the new radio systems, but are offered for a limited amount of time. Case is working with Catoosa and Walker counties in order to upgrade the three counties simultaneously.
Working as a group, the counties can save money buying radios and equipment in bulk. The three counties have also applied jointly for the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant. Dade County’s share of the grant would be $2.5 million, but Dade must provide $500,000 in matching funds.
The $500,000 would come from the SPLOST, without the money, Dade County cannot receive money from the grant and Case feels it is unlikely that other grants like this one will be available, especially since once a SPLOST has been voted down, a county must wait a year before bringing the SPLOST up for vote again.
Close to $800,000 of the SPLOST funds requested for E911 will go toward buying new radios and equipment for the county’s update. Each of the new portable radios will cost approximately $3,000 each. An additional $500,000 has been requested for new towers, hardware and software for the dispatch center, other needed equipment and later down the road, new furniture for the dispatch center.
Case said it is important for people to realize that the dispatch equipment in 2010, when the SPLOST funds will first become available for use, will have been in use 24 hours, seven days a week for six years. The continuous use of the equipment and even the furniture begins to wear it down.
According to Case he has repaired the consoles a couple of times already and that the last time the equipment was replaced, the county waited too long and things were breaking down as fast as they could be replaced or repaired.
With funds for controversial projects being requested, Brandon feels that there is a good chance the SPLOST will not go through this time, which will hurt several worthy projects including the E911 updates. Case is hoping he can make the equipment last until at least 2013.
“This is one of the good projects along with roads and bridges and completion of the court house,” Brandon said. “I believe there are other things in the SPLOST that are going to kill it.”
-Dade County Sentinel
Friday, December 07, 2007
The county currently operates their dispatch center on a VHF frequency and needs to move to an 800 mega hertz (MHz) system. There are a couple of reasons for this according to Case. During 9-11 public safety officials and employees found it difficult to communicate to different departments and organizations using radios. Everyone was on a different frequency and system. Progress has been made toward fixing public safety interdepartmental communication issues through the Federal Communications Commission and other federal agencies.
The Communications Commission has set aside part of the 700 MHz and 800 MHz frequencies for public safety use only. The frequencies provide clearer digital service to the personnel using them and will allow the departments to communicate more efficiently with each other.
Imagine as a Law Enforcement officer during a disaster being able to get the utilities turned off at a location and communicate with EMS and fire personnel to rescue a trapped victim and doing so with the touch of a button. Upgrading Dade County to the new system would help all EMS, fire, law enforcement and eventually public works and the school systems not only in Dade County, but in surrounding areas, to communicate this way through use of portable radios during a disaster. Case said that mobile radios will still be needed to a point especially in fire and EMS vehicles, but everyone would be able to simulcast on one complete network.
”(The SPLOST money) would allow us to upgrade the 911 system which is vital to everyone,” Brandon said.
There are many other benefits to updating the E911 system that would link Dade County to emergency services and assistance from Hamilton County. Catoosa County has already spent their money and are currently working on the 800 MHz system with Chattanooga, according to Case.
The Federal Communications Commission has given all public safety departments until 2013 to move to the new system.
While there are problems with communication traffic from other commercial radio users like construction and transportation companies filtering in to local emergency radio traffic, Case said in a few years, the problem would be even worse causing safety issues for both citizens and public safety personnel.
“Five years from now we would be one of the only counties using the old system,” Brandon said.
Case agrees with Brandon and says another problem would be grant availability. Federal grants have been made available to help departments to move to the new radio systems, but are offered for a limited amount of time. Case is working with Catoosa and Walker counties in order to upgrade the three counties simultaneously.
Working as a group, the counties can save money buying radios and equipment in bulk. The three counties have also applied jointly for the Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant. Dade County’s share of the grant would be $2.5 million, but Dade must provide $500,000 in matching funds.
The $500,000 would come from the SPLOST, without the money, Dade County cannot receive money from the grant and Case feels it is unlikely that other grants like this one will be available, especially since once a SPLOST has been voted down, a county must wait a year before bringing the SPLOST up for vote again.
Close to $800,000 of the SPLOST funds requested for E911 will go toward buying new radios and equipment for the county’s update. Each of the new portable radios will cost approximately $3,000 each. An additional $500,000 has been requested for new towers, hardware and software for the dispatch center, other needed equipment and later down the road, new furniture for the dispatch center.
Case said it is important for people to realize that the dispatch equipment in 2010, when the SPLOST funds will first become available for use, will have been in use 24 hours, seven days a week for six years. The continuous use of the equipment and even the furniture begins to wear it down.
According to Case he has repaired the consoles a couple of times already and that the last time the equipment was replaced, the county waited too long and things were breaking down as fast as they could be replaced or repaired.
With funds for controversial projects being requested, Brandon feels that there is a good chance the SPLOST will not go through this time, which will hurt several worthy projects including the E911 updates. Case is hoping he can make the equipment last until at least 2013.
“This is one of the good projects along with roads and bridges and completion of the court house,” Brandon said. “I believe there are other things in the SPLOST that are going to kill it.”
-Dade County Sentinel
Friday, December 07, 2007
