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December 30, 2008


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NEWS

9-1-1 Board Purchases Dispatch Consoles Costing $381,116

By Joel Washburn
washburn@mckenziebanner.com

Kevin Brent (standing) with Motorola answered questions about the new Motorola as chairman Doug Pruitt (right) and board member John Mann listen.

MCKENZIE (December 29) Carroll County 9-1-1 Board voted unanimously Monday to purchase four dispatch consoles, related software, and two microwave interlinks between the Carroll County Sheriff's Department, Huntingdon Police Department, and McKenzie Police Department - the full-time dispatch centers in the county. On a motion by John Mann and seconded by Beth Sisson, the board approved the $381,116 contract for the system, training, and 24/7 repair warranty.

Kevin Brent with Motorola answered questions about the new MC5500 Motorola consoles during the meeting. He noted McKenzie would have the most broadcast channels, 22, enabling it to communicate with emergency departments in the three counties of Carroll, Henry, and Weakley. Huntingdon's and Carroll County's dispatch centers will be equipped with 14 frequencies to communicate with all agencies within the county.

The new consoles allow each center to back up the other in times of heavy radio traffic or assume the duties of the other in case one is disabled due to environmental or man-made disaster. Mr. Brent said the Huntingdon location would be a remote site of the county's and not a complete stand-alone as McKenzie would be. Since the Huntingdon and Carroll County sites are just 500 yards from each other, Brent said if a natural disaster gets one location, it would probably get both. McKenzie would serve as the backup for both in case of such a disaster.

Tressia Barksdale, director of Carroll County 9-1-1, said each of the locations would now be able to dispatch emergency personnel throughout the county. Each console will enable dispatchers at any one location to activate the personal pagers or radios of each responding agency. Previously, only the Sheriff's Department could dispatch the services of rural fire departments and only McKenzie could dispatch its fire department on the personal pagers.

The board agreed to link the systems through a microwave link instead of using dedicated T-1 high-speed telephone lines. The two microwave links will avoid the recurring costs associated with the phone lines.

Mrs. Barksdale said the new systems will be a great improvement and will replace aging dispatch consoles.

The equipment will be purchased from existing funds, saved over several years. Much of the previous equipment was purchased through grants, allowing the 9-1-1 board to accumulate funds for this major purchase, said the director.

Once the new consoles are operational, the 9-1-1 board will address a weakness in radio transmission signals in distant rural areas of the 600 square-mile boundaries of Carroll County. Fire Chief Terry Bradshaw said he is mapping the areas to determine what upgrades are needed in the signal "repeater" system.

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December 30, 2008