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E-911 director says dispatch consoles and radio core need upgrades; commissioners request full-system audit and phased plan
Summary
E-911 Director Brin Jones told commissioners the console system is outdated and the county needs back-end core and tower infrastructure to realize radio and CAD capabilities. The board asked staff to commission a comprehensive assessment and return phased costing options.
E-911 Director Brin Jones briefed the Board on the county’s radio and dispatch-console needs, saying the County’s console software and some infrastructure are outdated and that replacing dispatch consoles and building supporting radio core infrastructure are necessary to use the radios’ advanced features.
Jones said the dispatch-console interface that allows 911 operators to answer telephones and manage radio communications is reaching the end of useful life and estimated replacement consoles would cost in the low hundreds of thousands (the figure discussed for console replacement work was approximately $343,000). He also described the need to host the radio ‘‘core’’ locally in the communications center to reduce latency and preserve functionality if long-distance connectivity is disrupted.
The County has purchased handheld radios, Jones said, but many advanced features (integrated tracking in CAD, emergency-button telemetry, automated location and recording functions) require a built-out infrastructure and standardized, interoperable equipment at tower sites. Staff described ongoing tower work at Forest Road, Greenville and Warm Springs and noted the County will need to coordinate access to other towers over time.
Commissioners pressed for a long-term plan: Commissioner Gene King said the Board had not been given a clear multi-year roadmap and Commissioner Adam Worsley said it felt like recurring, piecemeal costs were surfacing every few months. Commissioner Bryan Threadgill asked for a firm, third-party evaluation of the entire E-911 infrastructure. County Administrator John Gorton agreed to develop a scope for an independent system audit and to solicit comparable, ‘‘apples-to-apples’’ bids so the Board can consider phased implementation and funding options.
Next steps: staff to prepare a scope of work for a full-system audit, obtain quotes, and present recommended phased options and budget impacts to the Board.
