|
Dispatch center consolidation plans
in the works
Thursday, March 4, 2004 By
Susan DeMar Lafferty, The Star
"Things are starting to
happen" in Will County, with the 911 EmergencyTelephone System
Board's plans to consolidate its nine dispatch centers into
three. Project manager Steve Figved
said his orders are to have two new regional dispatch centers up and
running within four years. The existing dispatch
center in Joliet will serve as the
county's third site.
"It's been kind of quiet, but
now we're going to be moving fast," he said. In recent
months the board has hired Figved and HSMM Inc., a Virginia
architectural firm, to bring the
consolidation plans to fruition. "It's ambitious, but not
impossible," Figved said. HSMM is working with Will County
architects, Rogina and Associates, and Healy, Snyder and Bender, to
select sites by the end of this month, north and east of Joliet.
Several factors are being
considered in finding land, Figved said. The sites should be 8 to 10
acres, not located near any hazards, fault lines, chemical
or nuclear plants, pipelines or
airport runways, and not cause problems for future development, he
said. Figved and the architects are now assessing the needs of users
and operators to determine the size of the two centers, which will be
designed to back each other up.
He expects a reduction in costs,
but not in staff, and more efficient service with three regional
centers, but said it is "too early to know" how
much could be saved. The
construction project possibly could be financed through a combination
of the telephone surcharge that now appears on all phone bills,
property tax, or user fees, he said.
If police and fire departments
shared the operational costs, it would be less than what they are
paying now, Figved said. Local emergency officials continue to have
concerns about who will control the facilities, how much input they
will have in day to day operations, and the quality of service,
Figved said. "Service will be as good or better," he said.
"We can't give everyone what they wish for."
Three committees have been formed
to address technology, facilities, and operational issues, and to
keep local officials informed and involved, the
project manager said. No
construction time frame has yet been established. "Some think
we're going too fast, for others, it's not fast enough," Figved
said.
"Change is difficult. Everyone
is still hesitant," he said. No communities have been asked to
make a commitment yet, and none will be forced to participate in the
regional centers. Figved said he understands their concerns. He
served 20 years as a fire chief in Barrington and Batavia, developed
a 911 system for Barrington, and had his own dispatch center that
went regional.
None of Will County's current
dispatch centers have room to grow in a county that is growing faster
every day, he said. "More and more people are saying, 'This
could work,'" Figved said. "As more and more people hear
about, it makes sense. We need to be ahead of the growth. This is an
exciting opportunity." |