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Unified Communications Center reports UPS battery thermal failure; director requests $44,000 for repairs
Summary
Director Kevin Spahn told the Public Safety Committee a thermal event in the center’s UPS batteries caused off‑gassing and emergency shutdown; staff seek $44,000 to repair or replace affected components and to plan proactive battery replacement.
Kevin Spahn, director of the county Unified Communications Center, reported a failure in the center’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system during the previous week that he described as a thermal event in which one battery overheated and then caused a cascade that affected multiple batteries.
Spahn said the UPS contains over 72 batteries and that during the event the system emitted an electrical‑fire smell and off‑gassed carbon monoxide, requiring shutdown with outside vendor assistance. He told the Public Safety Committee the system is inspected yearly and that the most recent inspection in February showed normal operation, but that battery life and replacement schedules will be reassessed. The director requested approximately $44,000 to address the repairs and replacements needed.
Committee members moved the capital amendment to address the repairs to the legislative agenda. Spahn said staff will obtain vendor recommendations on replacement intervals and further steps to prevent recurrence.
