MCSA Sponsored 911 Program Workshop

1
MCSA Sponsored911 Program Workshop

• Attended by PSAP representatives from the
  communities of Boston, Lynn, Brookline,
  Hopkinton, Holyoke, Fall River, Westfield,
  Mansfield, Natick, Amherst, Northhampton,
  Shellburne Falls, Barnstable County, Cambridge,
  as well as other agencies

2
Size of the Mass. 911 Program

• Verizon says the net expenditures from fund in
  2000 were approx 12.8M
• E911 program costs approx 7.4M
• Included operating costs, relocate 10 PSAPs,
  re-arrange 38 PSAPs and 1 new PSAP install,
  plus
• (compare to CT at 10M, VA at 25M, etc.)
• Disability Access program cost approx 5.4M

NOTE These and all following cost numbers
rounded from Verizon May 2001 report to DTE
3
How Many Wireline Access Lines Are There?

• Population of Mass. 6,349,097 (2000 Census)
• FCC says 4,600,678 access lines reported on
  12/01 in Mass. by
• 2 ILECs (99.9 Verizon) 3,931,469
• 10 CLECs (RCN, ATT, Teleport, etc.) 669,209
• About 2.78M Verizon residential access lines in
  Mass. (says Verizon as ave. in 1997-2000)
• (compare to 2,988,667 lines reported by 6
  wireless carriers in MA. for Dec 01)

4
Components of E911 Program

• Continue focus on maintaining and upgrading
  reliable 911 telephone system and answering
  equipment
• Fund new initiative to certify all 911
  telecommunicators and mandate both pre-and
  in-service training requirements
• Fund grants to large city, regional and
  innovative PSAPs

5
Network and PSAP Equipment

• Need to keep funding 911 phone network (upgrades
  and future functionality)
• Need to replace APUs and other PSAP equipment
  that is 7-8 years old today
• Need to integrate with wireless
• Need to fund additional equipment needed by 911
  dispatchers

6
911 Training is KEY

• 911 is mostly about the people that take and
  dispatch emergency units
• 911 centers are the actual command and control
  centers for our state in this time of increased
  homeland security
• It is vital that we raise the level of skills and
  knowledge of these personnel

7
Survey of TCs/Dispatchers
8
Survey Continued

• Looks like 2000 non-sworn full and part-time
  dispatchers in 275 PSAPs
• Need to consider number of others in secondary
  PSAPs, fire dispatch, EMS dispatch, etc. 2500
  total non-sworn?
• Well over 2000-3000 additional sworn personnel
  who perform TC functions
• Looks like a number of 5000 is a reasonable
  estimate

9
Pre-Service Training

• How many new TCs each year? Say its 15 of the
  total of 2000 or 300. Only 40-50 go to the
  Dispatch Academy, currently.
• Need to require substantial pre-service training
  at least equal to 5-week Dispatch Academy
• Need to fund instructors, materials, etc.
• Need to assist communities in relieving personnel
  to attend this training (mileage, per-diem, etc.)

10
Certification of Telecommunicators

• Establish standards for initial and continuing
  certification
• Require Initial certification of TCs hired after
  a certain date and/or
• Require initial certification of veteran TCs who
  may not have attended formal classes need to
  consider factoring-in experience with

11
What Should be In-Service Training?

• Standards for Content
• Number of Hours per Year (40-120 hrs in many
  states are required)
• Certification Process (many states require basic
  certification)

• Big issue is how to fund release as many dispatch
  centers cannot afford to spare their personnel
  for in-service training

12
EMD Should be Required

• EMD Certification and training should be a key
  part of the 911 system
• It has become the standard of care
• Citizens want and expect dispatchers to help them
  with life-saving medical instructions while
  awaiting emergency vehicles

13
How to Fund In-Service Training?
Make grants to PSAPs for approved
training proportional to the number
of dispatchers.
Reimburse approved dispatchers for 40 hours of
training each year at a SETB-approved rate (e.g.,
15/hr.)
MORE
Reimburse approved PSAP training programs
under guidelines set out by the SETB
14
Need to Develop PSAP Managers

• Many dispatch managers need special training
• Need to build skills and knowledge
• Consider certification program for dispatch
  managers, perhaps on the lines of the CJIS
  certification for CJIS reps (attend meetings,
  take exam every two years, have agreement on how
  system is used, etc.)

15
How to Support the Large PSAPs

• CT gives subsidies to their large citys (New
  Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, etc.)
• What is needed in Mass.
• The 5 citys over 100K pop have almost 20 of the
  population (Bos, Wor, Spring, Low, Camb.)
• There are 12 citys over 75K pop (adds Brockton,
  NB, FR, Lynn, Quincy, Newton and Somerville)
• There are 23 cities and towns over 50K pop.

16
How to Encourage Regionalization

• It can make economic and mutual-aid sense to
  operate regional PSAPs. Here are ours with the
  number of towns they serve

17
Funding 911 Agencies

• Provide funds to support the underfunded large
  city PSAP operations and technology (e.g., all
  citys over 75K pop.)
• Provide funds to plan and operate regional
  centers (e.g., 3 or more towns) because regional
  centers offer economies and services (mutual aid)
  that are valued by towns
• Provide funds to innovative centers (e.g.,
  through a competitive grant program) to improve
  911 ops

18
Guidelines for Funding

• Must be for 911-related expenses according to
  state-approved guidelines
• Exclusion of capital costs (e.g., cant afford to
  fund buildings, etc.)
• Audit program is required
• Uses explicit formulas for calculations so as to
  minimize conflict and uncertainty
• Should tie-in to training or other requirements

19
Other States (2000 population)