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October
Wilmington, NC
10/2-10/6
Springfield, IL
10/16-10/19
Rockland, ME
10/23- 10/25
Roanoke, VA
10/26- 10/28
To Consolidate or Not?
When considering consolidation, local and regional agencies and jurisdictions must carefully review the feasibility of full or partial consolidation and whether or not consolidation is in the best interest of their service area. GeoComm has no perceived notion regarding the feasibility of consolidation, but we do recognize there are potential benefits when consolidating or regionalizing Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) that may have a dramatic positive effect on public safety services. The most significant potential benefits include the PSAPs ability to share resources allowing for the elimination of duplicate costs, supporting coordinated responses, providing greater interoperability, and the possibility of more effective and efficient service.
The extent of these benefits will vary depending on the consolidation model selected (e.g. full consolidation of 9-1-1 and dispatch, communications systems, and related technology, partial consolidation, co-location, or a hybrid solution), the existing conditions present within the community, the political environment, and communities' standards for public safety services.
Agencies considering consolidation or regionalization must carefully review the feasibility of consolidation, options for consolidation, actual benefits, cost savings and implications, and identify any potential obstacles as a result of consolidation to determine if any model of consolidation is in the PSAP's best interest.
Conference Presentations
Wisconsin NENA Conference
Monday, October 24
2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Maintaining GIS Data for 9-1-1
Establishing a solid GIS maintenance program for GIS map data is an important function that cannot be overlooked. This presentation will focus on the key GIS data layers and the importance of maintaining those layers and routinely updating 9-1-1 systems to ensure maps are up-to-date with the most current GIS data. At this presentation, dispatchers, GIS data editors, and 9-1-1 operational managers will all find useful information and guidance for implementing a GIS maintenance workflow for your agency.
Customer Testimonials
"Our GIS Trainer did a great job with our training. He was very responsive to special requests, which made us as a customer feel like we were being listened to as well as being taught."
Dave Burns - Mathews County, VA Volunteer Rescue Squad
_____________________________
"GeoLynx Desktop mapping system instantaneously provides us with the life-saving, location mapping information we need in an easy to understand format. GeoComm's technical support is great. It is one area of the company that really shines."
Jack Wilkins-Galveston County Emergency Communications Center
GeoComm Trivia
GeoComm impacts over 600 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers across 43 states. Over 9,000 Dispatchers use GeoComm's software which is used to map almost 70,000 E9-1-1 calls every day.
When considering consolidation, local and regional agencies and jurisdictions must carefully review the feasibility of full or partial consolidation and whether or not consolidation is in the best interest of their service area. GeoComm has no perceived notion regarding the feasibility of consolidation, but we do recognize there are potential benefits when consolidating or regionalizing Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) that may have a dramatic positive effect on public safety services. The most significant potential benefits include the PSAPs ability to share resources allowing for the elimination of duplicate costs, supporting coordinated responses, providing greater interoperability, and the possibility of more effective and efficient service.
The extent of these benefits will vary depending on the consolidation model selected (e.g. full consolidation of 9-1-1 and dispatch, communications systems, and related technology, partial consolidation, co-location, or a hybrid solution), the existing conditions present within the community, the political environment, and communities' standards for public safety services.
Agencies considering consolidation or regionalization must carefully review the feasibility of consolidation, options for consolidation, actual benefits, cost savings and implications, and identify any potential obstacles as a result of consolidation to determine if any model of consolidation is in the PSAP's best interest.
Conference Presentations
Wisconsin NENA Conference
Monday, October 24
2:15 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Maintaining GIS Data for 9-1-1
Establishing a solid GIS maintenance program for GIS map data is an important function that cannot be overlooked. This presentation will focus on the key GIS data layers and the importance of maintaining those layers and routinely updating 9-1-1 systems to ensure maps are up-to-date with the most current GIS data. At this presentation, dispatchers, GIS data editors, and 9-1-1 operational managers will all find useful information and guidance for implementing a GIS maintenance workflow for your agency.
Customer Testimonials
"Our GIS Trainer did a great job with our training. He was very responsive to special requests, which made us as a customer feel like we were being listened to as well as being taught."
Dave Burns - Mathews County, VA Volunteer Rescue Squad
_____________________________
"GeoLynx Desktop mapping system instantaneously provides us with the life-saving, location mapping information we need in an easy to understand format. GeoComm's technical support is great. It is one area of the company that really shines."
Jack Wilkins-Galveston County Emergency Communications Center
GeoComm Trivia
GeoComm impacts over 600 9-1-1 Dispatch Centers across 43 states. Over 9,000 Dispatchers use GeoComm's software which is used to map almost 70,000 E9-1-1 calls every day.
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.
GeoLynx Server GeoRSS Feeds
Providing situational awareness through GeoRSS feeds from the USGS, GeoLynx Server automatically displayed information on the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that happened in Virginia on August 23, 2011.
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.
GeoLynx Server GeoRSS Feeds
Providing situational awareness through GeoRSS feeds from the USGS, GeoLynx Server automatically displayed information on the magnitude 5.8 earthquake that happened in Virginia on August 23, 2011.
Now is the time for you to seamlessly connect your PSAPs, responding
agencies, and mobile responders, by implementing GeoLynx Server in
your jurisdiction. GeoLynx Server provides situational awareness to
authorized users to display of dynamically changing 9-1-1 calls, CAD
calls for services, and Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL). In addition,
current GeoLynx Desktop customers are eligible for a transfer discount
to move your Desktop licenses to the Server platform if you purchase by
the end of 2012.
Wisconsin Dells, WI
10/23- 10/26
Weston, FL
10/30- 11/3
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