Washtenaw County800 Megahertz Consortium

Business Plan

Desired Outcomes

Share information about emergency response and communications equipment

Answer any questions about the 800 MHz Consortium Business Plan

Agenda

Interoperability discussion Interoperability across disciplines

(police, fire, EMS) Interoperability across jurisdictions

Coverage discussion Details of business plan, including

funding

Current Reality

Countywide agencies: 15 fire, 12 police, 1 primary ambulance, 1 Hazmat, 1 State Police

Four communication systems – not interoperable

400+ fire fighting personnel 800+ police officers 341,000+ County residents Approx XXXXXX people dialed 911 in 2004 Change in federal communication standards

(APCO 25)

Current users of Washtenaw County 800 MHz Radio System

Police – Ann Arbor, Chelsea, EMU, Milan, Northfield Twp., Pittsfield Twp., Saline, Washtenaw County, Ypsilanti (10 of 12)

State Police – MSP/Ypsilanti (1 of 1) Fire – Ann Arbor Twp., Northfield Twp.,

Pittsfield Twp., Ypsilanti, Ypsilanti Twp. (5 of 15)

EMS – part of Huron Valley Ambulance HazMat – part of the HazMat team

Why isn’t communication equipment already interoperable?

Different jurisdictions use different equipment

Limited local funding; competing local priorities

Planning is limited and fragmented Requires shared management Limited amount of radio spectrum

available to public safety

Coverage

Rural coverage is poor Manchester, Sylvan, Lyndon, Milan,

Bridgewater, Sharon, York, Augusta People transporting through areas also

have poor coverage Urban coverage

In-building communication for fire safety is poor

Non-public safety users on system

800 MHz Consortium Charge

Develop a plan for one system Interoperability: all police, fire, EMS can

talk directly with one another 95% geographic coverage: recognizing

the amount of time residents spend traveling

Sustainable from a funding perspective Nine options were examined Recommendation: Migrate to

Michigan Public Safety Communication System (MPSCS)

MPSCS

State system, used by State Police Lowest cost option Allows Washtenaw to take

advantage of infrastructure in Jackson, Livingston, and Monroe

Communication statewide APCO 25 compliant

How County agencies benefits

More efficient communications Greater radio signal coverage and

strength Replacement of obsolete equipment Compliant with federal guidelines Positions agencies for mobile data Common communications platform Required upgrade to digital

communication

How County residents benefit Existing New

Radio Capability System System

Fire can talk directly to each other N Y

Police can talk directly to each other Y Y

Police can talk directly to Fire N Y

Fire can talk directly to Ambulance N Y

Police can talk directly to Ambulance Y Y

Digital Communication N Y

Statewide Communications N Y

Plan Details

Build additional towers Replace all current radios & consoles for

Fire, Police, EMS Purchase radios for Fire agencies not now

on the 800 MHz radio system Finalize details with MPSCS Seek voter approval

Dedicated millage of XXX November 2005 ballot issue

Summary

o Interoperabilityo Coverageo Sustainability

Questions?