Subject: [NEXTEL-1] Pines looks at creating its own 911 dispatch center

From: Marcelrf <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 16:56:45 -0500

Pines looks at creating its own 911 dispatch center

By Joe Kollin
Staff Writer
Posted February 20 2004

PEMBROKE PINES · The city may create its own police and
fire-rescue dispatch system instead of relying on Broward County.

Currently, 911 calls for fire-rescue go to the Broward Sheriff's
Office, which transfers them to the city's dispatcher, who then
sends a fire truck or rescue van. Calls for police emergencies go
directly from the county 911 dispatcher to city police officers.

A city-run system
would eliminate the
middleman for
fire-rescue and
enable police to
dispatch their own
officers.

"With the
ever-changing
environment in
Broward County with
regards to fire and
police
communications, we
find ourselves at a
crossroad regarding
system
development,"
Fire-Rescue Chief
Vito Splendorio wrote to City Manager Charles F. Dodge. "The city
must decide whether to continue to have the county dispatch
police, or embrace full public safety communications on its own."

The City Commission, at Splendorio's request, unanimously agreed
this month to hire a consultant to study the issue.

It wants to know how an independent system would affect safety
as well as how it would affect the county's attempt to consolidate
emergency communications among the various cities.

The terrorist attacks on New York City showed the danger of local
agencies not being able to talk to one another.

City fire-rescue radios operate independently of those used by
police, but personnel can speak to each other by switching
frequencies.

While Police Capt. Keith Palant said his department is satisfied with
the sheriff's service, Assistant Fire-Rescue Chief David Donzella
said, "There's always room for improvement."

Mayor Alex Fekete coaxed commissioners to approve the study.

"When we get a complaint of a delay in response, it is usually
because the call went from the county to the city," he said.
"There's an extra step. If we eliminate the middleman, it could
quicken our response time and obviously, sometimes seconds make
a big difference."

Dodge said he will seek proposals from firms interested in conducting
the study. No timetable has been set.

Fekete wants to know if the city could operate the system without
using its own tax money. Now, the 50-cent per line fee that every
telephone subscriber in Broward County pays for 911 service goes
to the county for the sheriff's dispatch system. He wants to know if
the money paid by Pembroke Pines phone customers can be diverted
to the city.

The Sheriff's Office doesn't charge Pembroke Pines, Broward
County's second largest city, for dispatching police because the
phone fees pay for it. The city spends about $900,000 a year for
fire-rescue dispatch, Dodge said.

The study would also suggest if Pembroke Pines should invite
neighboring cities to join a new system, something that might prove
a slap in the face to the county, which is also courting cities.

Fekete said building a system with other area cities would be
cost-effective and make it easier for the closest city to respond.

Because Pembroke Pines officials have not discussed the issue with
them, Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Liz Calzadilla said, "We don't feel
it is appropriate to comment."

The Sheriff's Office employs 403 people in its communications
operation, including 323 for law enforcement and 80 for fire-rescue.
They work in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach.

The Sheriff's Office provides dispatching service for police in
Hallandale Beach, Davie, Lauderhill, Lighthouse Point, Parkland, Sea
Ranch Lakes, Miramar and Pembroke Pines.

Joe Kollin can be reached at [email-masked] or
954-385-7913.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-ssdispatch17feb20,0,6668969.story?coll=sfla-news-broward

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