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Hardy County 9-1-1 director reports call volumes, GIS work and tower repairs
Summary
Paul Lewis, director of 9‑1‑1 dispatch, updated the commission on August call volumes, a proposed GIS contract to prepare for NextGen 9‑1‑1, equipment damage at a tower site and grant work including a commodity flow study and LEPC funding.
Paul Lewis, director of office management for 9‑1‑1 dispatch, told the Hardy County Commission on Sept. 2 that the dispatch center handled 636 calls in August and is working on infrastructure and software upgrades ahead of NextGen 9‑1‑1.
Lewis said two companies have reviewed the county’s geographic information system data and that staff member Nicole is working with one firm on a proposed contract expected to cost about $4,000 to normalize centerline and addressing data so “street” and “lane” and similar suffixes are spelled out rather than abbreviated in the NextGen feed. He said the county has not yet signed the contract.
Lewis reported equipment problems at a tower he identified as Hamock Rock, saying the generator’s circuit board has failed twice in two months and staff are awaiting a replacement board. He also said he is trying to contact AT&T and T‑Mobile about equipment and a possible radio path for a tower site discussed with neighboring counties.
On grants, Lewis said federal cybersecurity work for the 9‑1‑1 centers tied to a state grant is largely finished and that the county received $3,000 for its 2024 LEPC activities; the 2025 LEPC grant has been approved and Lewis is scheduling an electric vehicle training for first responders with West Virginia University. He said the state is still reviewing $24,000 (approx.) in MPGe funds for the county and that the county must sign paperwork to receive certain grants when they arrive.
Lewis described mutual‑aid or shared equipment talks with Rockingham County and discussed considerations if Hardy County were to colocate equipment on a neighboring tower, including questions about rent, equipment weight and whether a microwave link or antenna would be required. He said radio technicians are studying path profiles to determine coverage of dead spots.
Ending: Lewis closed by listing meeting dates for late September and October and offered to answer questions; commissioners followed with technical and interagency follow‑ups during the meeting.
