MECA changes coming

[Viper43]

20309 was used during Final Four weekend for team buses. Even though they were not IndyGo buses they used portables with IndyGo TG's and operated on System 1. Supposedly this will also be used for buses going to/from the races as well.

 

[scannerfreak]

A little late in posting this. Sorry

Good morning MECA Customers,

On Tuesday, June 8 between the hours of 1100 and 1500, Motorola will be replacing some tower equipment. During these times, System 1 (public safety)will have limited receive coverage for voice. System 2 (public service) will have limited receive coverage for voice AND mobile data will be down.

For fire, channel 32 will have limited receive coverage.

Thank you

 

[Dispatch2323]

Beech Grove Dispatch Center

SouthIndyStar.com | South Marion County, Indiana, breaking news, photos, things to do | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

Indy Star link about Beech Grove Communications Center possibly moving to Meca Center Downtown. Good reading.

 

[Viper43]

SouthIndyStar.com | South Marion County, Indiana, breaking news, photos, things to do | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

Indy Star link about Beech Grove Communications Center possibly moving to Meca Center Downtown. Good reading.

This is because of the state law that was pushed through to force counties to go to 2 dispatch centers in each county.... this is the WORST thing they have ever come up with! Not only does this law shut down 100's of dispatch centers across the state, it puts hundreds out of work as well, but worse, you will have dispatchers who have no clue about the area they are sending first responders which endangers the first responders and civilians as well.

V

 

[shauno]

This is because of the state law that was pushed through to force counties to go to 2 dispatch centers in each county.... this is the WORST thing they have ever come up with! Not only does this law shut down 100's of dispatch centers across the state, it puts hundreds out of work as well, but worse, you will have dispatchers who have no clue about the area they are sending first responders which endangers the first responders and civilians as well.

V

Not only this, but there is no back up for when the 1 AND ONLY dispatcher center in the county goes offline for somereason. I know where I live, our county dispatch center has gone down several times (phones, computers etc). And I know technology will fail from time to time, but with no back up to take over instantly, bad things will happen. Our backup is a neighboring county. The problem is that usually if we are getting hit hard (ie. snow storm), they are getting hit HARDER. So how are they going to be able to be our back up in a disaster when they are having a worse disaster of their own?!?!?!? Typical politic BS as far as I am concerned. But it will take someone to sue because of something bad happening to them or a loved one, before anyone is willing to admit they were wrong!

 

[Viper43]

That law doesn't mean there HAS to be two dispatch centers, it is requiring counties with MORE than 2 to go to 2 dispatch centers, and has no control over those with 1, so things where there is just 1 dispatch center WON'T change unless someone wajnts to start a second one....good luck with that too. this law has nothing to do with backup dispatching at all, and in fact limits or removes backup centers! The law was to affect areas that have multiple dispatch centers and was done because someone whinned to the right people about not liking the way center b dispatched things over the way center A did and center c did it another way as well. It's ALL political and rediculous, and it may lead to even more suits since the dispatchers won't know the area.
For a county like Marion they can have ISP and MECA, but Beech Grove, and anyone else on their own dispatch have to move to MECA because of the law. Now if thats the case then Rural Metro, Seals etc who even on occasion run calls in Marion Co should have to be dispatched by MECA and not their own dispatchers.... yeah right, like thats going to happen! This law is a political farce!
Thankfully Hancock County has it's own dispatch center and if they need backup they have it.

 

[bamx2]

For a county like Marion they can have ISP and MECA, but Beech Grove, and anyone else on their own dispatch have to move to MECA because of the law. Now if thats the case then Rural Metro, Seals etc who even on occasion run calls in Marion Co should have to be dispatched by MECA and not their own dispatchers.... yeah right, like thats going to happen! This law is a political farce!
Thankfully Hancock County has it's own dispatch center and if they need backup they have it.

Its not "Dispatch Centers" its "PSAP's". Metro, Seals and the such aren't PSAPs [Public Safety Answering Points] so there is no way they could be included in this, same with ISP, unless that ISP center recieves 911 calls directly (not transfered).

 

[bamx2]

Just a refresher on the law.

IC 36-8-16.5-13
"PSAP" defined
Sec. 13. As used in this chapter, "PSAP" refers to the public safety answering point that is the public safety agency that receives incoming 911 calls and dispatches appropriate public safety agencies to respond to the calls.

IC 36-8-16.5-51
Limitation on number of PSAPs in a county after December 31, 2014; exceptions; establishing new PSAPs on or after March 15, 2008, prohibited; interlocal agreements; other parties; plans required
Sec. 51. (a) For purposes of this section, a PSAP includes a public safety communications system operated and maintained under IC 36-8-15.
(b) As used in this section, "PSAP operator" means:
(1) a political subdivision; or
(2) an agency;
that operates a PSAP. The term does not include a state educational institution that operates a PSAP or an airport authority established for a county having a consolidated city.
(c) Subject to subsection (d), after December 31, 2014, a county may not contain more than two (2) PSAPs. However, a county may contain one (1) or more PSAPs in addition to the number of PSAPs authorized by this section, as long as any additional PSAPs are operated by:
(1) a state educational institution; or
(2) an airport authority established for a county having a consolidated city.
(d) If, on March 15, 2008, a county does not contain more than one (1) PSAP, not including any PSAP operated by an entity described in subsection (c)(1) or (c)(2), an additional PSAP may not be established or operated in the county on or after March 15, 2008, unless the additional PSAP is established and operated by:
(1) a state educational institution;
(2) in the case of a county having a consolidated city, an airport authority established for the county; or
(3) the municipality having the largest population in the county or an agency of that municipality.
(e) Before January 1, 2015, each PSAP operator in a county that contains more than the number of PSAPs authorized by subsection (c) shall enter into an interlocal agreement under IC 36-1-7 with every other PSAP operator in the county to ensure that the county does not contain more than the number of PSAPs authorized by subsection (c) after December 31, 2014.
(f) An interlocal agreement required under subsection (e) may include as parties, in addition to the PSAP operators required to enter into the interlocal agreement under subsection (e), any of the following that seek to be served by a county's authorized PSAPs after December 31, 2014:
(1) Other counties contiguous to the county.
(2) Other political subdivisions in a county contiguous to the county.
(3) Other PSAP operators in a county contiguous to the county.
(g) An interlocal agreement required under subsection (e) must provide for the following:
(1) A plan for the:
(A) consolidation;
(B) reorganization; or
(C) elimination;
of one (1) or more of the county's PSAPs, as necessary to ensure that the county does not contain more than the number of PSAPs authorized by subsection (c) after December 31, 2014.
(2) A plan for funding and staffing the PSAP or PSAPs that will serve:
(A) the county; and
(B) any areas contiguous to the county, if additional parties described in subsection (f) participate in the interlocal agreement;
after December 31, 2014.
(3) Subject to any applicable state or federal requirements, protocol to be followed by the county's PSAP or PSAPs in:
(A) receiving incoming 911 calls; and
(B) dispatching appropriate public safety agencies to respond to the calls;
after December 31, 2014.
(4) Any other matters that the participating PSAP operators or parties described in subsection (f), if any, determine are necessary to ensure that the county does not contain more than the number of PSAPs authorized by subsection (c) after December 31, 2014.
(h) This section may not be construed to require a county to contain a PSAP.

 

[Viper43]

Its not "Dispatch Centers" its "PSAP's". Metro, Seals and the such aren't PSAPs [Public Safety Answering Points] so there is no way they could be included in this, same with ISP, unless that ISP center recieves 911 calls directly (not transfered).

Actually Rural Metro and Seals, etc CAN all fall under this because they ARE dispatched by 911 centers as well as thier own dispatchers.....
And in fact with at least one of these the dispatch center (lets say MECA) contacts the ambulance dispatch who then dispatches the ambulance(s) .... which wastes valuble time in life or death calls. Either way the are still being dispatched and control of the call is ultimately under the 911 center.

V

 

[bamx2]

"PSAP" defined
Sec. 13. As used in this chapter, "PSAP" refers to the public safety answering point that is the public safety agency that receives incoming 911 calls and dispatches appropriate public safety agencies to respond to the calls.

When you dial 911 under no circumstances in Marion county is R/M or Seals the first operator to answer the phone. They are not PSAP's. The law doesn't care about "dispatch centers". No where in the law does it talk about only having 2 radio dispatch centers in a county, it is only concerned with PSAPs that recieve incoming 911 calls. Every PD, Fire and EMS department in Marion county can do their own dispatching, as long as calls aren't routed through 911 lines.

Actually Rural Metro and Seals, etc CAN all fall under this because they ARE dispatched by 911 centers as well as thier own dispatchers.....
And in fact with at least one of these the dispatch center (lets say MECA) contacts the ambulance dispatch who then dispatches the ambulance(s) .... which wastes valuble time in life or death calls. Either way the are still being dispatched and control of the call is ultimately under the 911 center.

V

 

[scannerfreak]

Thanks for the factual information bamx2

I think it's time to retire yet another MECA thread...