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County reviews upgrades to emergency communications and EMS equipment; staff report pricing for DSL backup and AED battery replacements
Summary
Officials discussed redundancy for county internet and 911 connectivity, the county’s radio/tower project, siren grant efforts, and EMS needs including AED battery replacements; a proposed point-to-point DSL backup was priced at about $300 per month for 10 Mbps and AED batteries were negotiated down to about $99 each.
Daniels County officials reviewed several items Jan. 20 related to emergency communications, 9-1-1 redundancy and emergency medical equipment.
County and emergency-services staff reported on a proposal for a point-to-point DSL link to provide a redundant connection into the county office/tower infrastructure. The vendor quoted a 10-megabit service at about $300 per month; the vendor offered to waive installation fees if the county signs a 3- to 5-year service term. Staff said the connection would provide a dedicated trunk to back up primary internet service for critical functions including 9-1-1 dispatch.
Board members also discussed a longer-term tower project and three related items: fiber/trunk-line installation to the tower site, redundancy for 9-1-1 services, and a separate local effort to fund sirens. Commissioners were told sirens could cost $70,000–$80,000 apiece and that grant funding was being pursued to offset those costs; commissioners discussed whether alerts by phone or pager could reduce the need for some siren coverage but heard that sirens are a proven way to alert volunteer responders in the field.
Emergency medical equipment needs were raised by the EMS lead, who reported that AED (automated external defibrillator) batteries and electrode pads require replacement and that initial vendor quotes were high. After outreach, the vendor offered a county account pricing that reduced the batteries to about $99 each (quantity four per battery pack discussion) and electrode pads to about $85 each; the total quoted for the immediate AED replacements for the rigs and the building was roughly $736. Commissioners indicated support for purchasing the batteries and pads so each response vehicle and one building unit would be ready.
Staff said Motorola equipment packages and other ordered items are en route, and that the broadband/tower work would likely move more slowly during the cold months but could accelerate in the spring when on-site installation progresses. No final contract was signed for DSL at the meeting; staff were instructed to continue negotiations and return with a formal proposal if the board wants to proceed.
