Copyright GeoComm, Inc. All rights reserved.
Potential to Save $4 Million through
Consolidation in Southeastern Massachusetts
“While all of the firms claimed to have a unique approach to this project, GeoComm’s proposal
truly stood out as unique. GeoComm has sufficient resources dedicated to this project including
well-known experts from around the country.”
-Ross Perry, Municipal Management Specialist, CPO for SRPEDD
-Ross Perry, Municipal Management Specialist, CPO for SRPEDD
Public Safety Consulting
Economic downtimes bring many cost-saving ideas to mind. In the public
safety community, regionalization or consolidation is one of these ideas.
Regionalization is not an easy decision. Many factors need to be
examined. In the Commonwealth of Massachusetts an initiative to study
regionalization has been going on throughout the state and incented by the
District Local Technical Assistance (DLTA) program.
Recently, the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), a regional planning agency in Southeastern Massachusetts, completed a feasibility study examining regionalization. SRPEDD and the 9-1-1 Steering Committee, comprised of public safety representatives in the region, worked with GeoComm, a public safety consulting firm, to conduct a comprehensive review of existing operations and technology used at the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in the18 cities and towns and one university in the region. The goal of the study was to investigate the feasibility of consolidating multiple police, fire, and emergency medical service dispatch operations into a Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC).
“While all of the firms claimed to have a unique approach to this project, GeoComm’s proposal truly stood out as unique. GeoComm has sufficient resources dedicated to this project including well-known experts from around the country.” Ross Perry, Municipal Management Specialist, CPO for SRPEDD
The region embarked on the project in order to enhance public safety services to the citizens of the region and maintain or reduce the overall cost of providing public safety services. Upon completion of the project, public safety agencies in the region will be enabled to make a decision based on factors such as: technology, shared services, financial implications, and economic conditions.
GeoComm worked with each participating agency to complete a comprehensive inventory of existing systems and technology, visit PSAPS, conduct staff interviews and operations observations, and meet with regional officials. After reviewing all the input and information, GeoComm presented an overview of the current level of service and equipment in each of the PSAPs. This review also included operations, facilities, current technology, and training programs to provide a thorough overall view of the region’s system.
One of the outcomes of this system review was service improvement recommendations that considered current public safety industry standards and best practices. In addition, GeoComm reviewed the Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) and the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data used in the region and provided a NG9-1-1 GIS Data Report Card. The report card provided a preliminary assessment for data synchronization which is needed for a higher probability of accurately pin-pointing emergency call locations as well as the eventual transition to a NG9-1-1 system.
GeoComm examined all of the public safety factors in light of economic, financial, governance, and operational aspects for the feasibility of combining services in the region. In the end, GeoComm recommended, based on all contributing factors and state and national standards, consolidating the region’s PSAPS into two RECCs. Based on this recommendation, there is a potential for more than $4 million in local savings as a result of shared services and efficiencies in the region. The most significant benefit to the region for consolidating to two RECCs was enhanced governance, ability to share resources, coordinate responses, increase interoperability, and provide more effective and efficient services while eliminating duplicate costs.
The final report included a feasibility analysis for options that addressed various consolidation models in the Southeastern Massachusetts area, consolidation and implementation recommendations, potential governance models, financial implications, costs for maintaining the two RECC’s, and action items for the participating agencies, as well as recommendations for future technical enhancements.
Now, SRPEDD and the 18 cities and towns and university who participated have a comprehensive plan that outlines consolidation options and cost projections for implementing two RECCs and have all of the supporting information and options available to make an informed decision to serve region.
Recently, the Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), a regional planning agency in Southeastern Massachusetts, completed a feasibility study examining regionalization. SRPEDD and the 9-1-1 Steering Committee, comprised of public safety representatives in the region, worked with GeoComm, a public safety consulting firm, to conduct a comprehensive review of existing operations and technology used at the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) in the18 cities and towns and one university in the region. The goal of the study was to investigate the feasibility of consolidating multiple police, fire, and emergency medical service dispatch operations into a Regional Emergency Communications Center (RECC).
“While all of the firms claimed to have a unique approach to this project, GeoComm’s proposal truly stood out as unique. GeoComm has sufficient resources dedicated to this project including well-known experts from around the country.” Ross Perry, Municipal Management Specialist, CPO for SRPEDD
The region embarked on the project in order to enhance public safety services to the citizens of the region and maintain or reduce the overall cost of providing public safety services. Upon completion of the project, public safety agencies in the region will be enabled to make a decision based on factors such as: technology, shared services, financial implications, and economic conditions.
GeoComm worked with each participating agency to complete a comprehensive inventory of existing systems and technology, visit PSAPS, conduct staff interviews and operations observations, and meet with regional officials. After reviewing all the input and information, GeoComm presented an overview of the current level of service and equipment in each of the PSAPs. This review also included operations, facilities, current technology, and training programs to provide a thorough overall view of the region’s system.
One of the outcomes of this system review was service improvement recommendations that considered current public safety industry standards and best practices. In addition, GeoComm reviewed the Master Street Address Guide (MSAG) and the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data used in the region and provided a NG9-1-1 GIS Data Report Card. The report card provided a preliminary assessment for data synchronization which is needed for a higher probability of accurately pin-pointing emergency call locations as well as the eventual transition to a NG9-1-1 system.
GeoComm examined all of the public safety factors in light of economic, financial, governance, and operational aspects for the feasibility of combining services in the region. In the end, GeoComm recommended, based on all contributing factors and state and national standards, consolidating the region’s PSAPS into two RECCs. Based on this recommendation, there is a potential for more than $4 million in local savings as a result of shared services and efficiencies in the region. The most significant benefit to the region for consolidating to two RECCs was enhanced governance, ability to share resources, coordinate responses, increase interoperability, and provide more effective and efficient services while eliminating duplicate costs.
The final report included a feasibility analysis for options that addressed various consolidation models in the Southeastern Massachusetts area, consolidation and implementation recommendations, potential governance models, financial implications, costs for maintaining the two RECC’s, and action items for the participating agencies, as well as recommendations for future technical enhancements.
Now, SRPEDD and the 18 cities and towns and university who participated have a comprehensive plan that outlines consolidation options and cost projections for implementing two RECCs and have all of the supporting information and options available to make an informed decision to serve region.
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