Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Communications officials say cutover to new 911 center, radio upgrade 'smooth'

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 01 Jul 2003 12:27:44 -0400

Communications officials say cutover to new 911 center, radio upgrade 'smooth'

Bill Sumrall / Staff Reporter
Posted on June 30, 2003

The Rapides 911 center's
recent switchover to its new
building went smoothly,
says Sonya Wiley.

"They're doing some fine
tuning right now with the
dispatch consoles," to
customize them to the
dispatch positions, said
Wiley, executive director of
the Rapides Parish
Communications District.

"As far as the changeover
with the radio system, it
went very smooth. Overall
we're very pleased with the
transition," she said.

"It's new, but the vendors we're dealing with have been great."
Assistant Director Ricky Smith agreed. "It's working rather well," he said.
"There were no glitches, major glitches," he said. Smith said the radio system's
"fail soft" mode backup was only used for 30 minutes, during which time users had
to specify which agency they were speaking to. Smith said 90 percent of the job
was fine-tuning once the system transfer was made.

"It went better than I expected, though it was hectic all day long," he said.
There were the expected minor adjustments to be made, Smith said. "We're
fine-tuning stuff. That'll go on for a week or two."

The computer-aided dispatch system will be brought online in August, he said. It
includes electronic mapping that can pinpoint on a screen the location of a call.

Separate open houses, yet to be announced, are planned for system users and the
public.
The switchover was done in phases so as not to jeopardize the public or the
integrity of the system, Wiley said."Our goal was for a seamless transition," she
said.

The radio system continued to operate and function, but in a different mode of
operation. That phase was completed, as was the transfer of the 911 system from
the former Martin Park softball complex building into the new 911 communications
center next door.
Some equipment has yet to be moved, Wiley said. She expressed her appreciation to
those who worked with moving the 911 service and the radio communication upgrades
and service.

This phase of the transition directly involved representatives with Motorola, Sola
Communications of Lafayette, ESi of Atlanta, Ga., and BellSouth as well as all the
agencies that work off the parish's system and the 911 center's staff, Wiley said.

"Their patient support of this project has been great," she said. "Without their
support, understanding and commitment, it would have been a nightmare."

Wiley thanked all of the vendors, most of all the local agencies and 911 center
employees.

"Our ultimate goal was that the service to citizens of Rapides Parish did not
diminish in any manner or capacity whatsoever," she said.
Bill Sumrall: 487-6417;

http://www.thetowntalk.com/html/76CB2242-1261-44C9-9DCB-8DFBEA782806.shtml

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