911 merger details released

WAMPSVILLE, N.Y. >> In as soon as two years, 911 calls made in Madison County could be answered by the Onondaga County 911 Center.

Madison County, at its Board of Supervisors meeting Tuesday, released a study by Winbourne Consulting on the feasibility of consolidating the Madison and Onondaga Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) into a regional emergency communications center.

The four-month study – funded by a $50,000 grant from New York State’s Municipal Restructuring Fund – outlines recommendations to consolidate the two centers, with a completion time of two to four years.

The immediate phase of the consolidation would require operational changes in Madison County. A short-term phase, to be completed within the first year, would implement shared services with a final phase, within two to four

years, of full consolidation.

At a presentation to the board, Lisa Madden of Winbourne Consulting says Madison County should make immediate operational changes that include developing a more comprehensive policy manual to improve best practices, improving communications and relations between dispatchers and first responders and implementing a quality assurance and improvement program. An assistant director position would be created to oversee quality assurance and improvement as well as two shift supervisors, in order to meet National Fire Protection Association standards.

Also recommended immediately, Madden said, is the installation of the Computer Aided Dispatch systemOnondaga County uses. Madison County would utilize Onondaga County’s license for the software, a systemMadden called the “Cadillac” of CAD systems.

In the immediate and short-term phases of the consolidation, the study suggests the two PSAPS maintain separate centers but share CAD and mapping systems.

In the long-term phase of the project, estimated to take anywhere from two to four years, the two centers would be consolidated into one, absorbed into Onondaga County’s existing operations. Madden said it’s likely that Madison County employees would be eligible to transfer to Onondaga County and said they’d likely receive better pay, although she said that decision would ultimately be Onondaga’s and hasn’t been finalized.

Onondaga County’s current facility is large enough to accommodate the additional personnel and equipment needed for the consolidation. Madden said its backup center would need to be expanded to make room for the increased scope of operations.

Winbourne Consulting surveyed nearly 300 911 employees and first responders in both counties regarding the consolidation. Concerns were raised over the level of service Madison County residents would receive, specifically that the increased call volume of a consolidated center would create delays in calls being answered or callers being put on hold. A lack of knowledge and familiarity of Madison County’s jurisdictions was also a concern.

Madden said a consolidated regional center would improve the safety of first responders and service to the public by utilizing a state- of-the-art CAD system, better mapping technology, and policies and procedures that are compliant with industry standards. Onondaga County also has dedicated personnel that only answer phone calls and separate personnel that only dispatch calls.

The Madison County 911 Center currently receives approximately 90,400 calls a year and dispatches 46 agencies (police, fire and ambulance services) with 15 full-time employees, twopart time and a shift minimumof five people. In comparison, Onondaga County receives 531,571 calls annually and dispatches 98 agencies with 135 full-time, 14part time employees and a shift minimumof 32 people.

The Madison County 911 Center “is doing a lot with a little,” Madden said. The implementation of the study’s recommendations would provide “more of a structure than already exists.”

While Madden said “cost is not the primary consideration, service improvement is the first priority,” the study does outline the costs associated with making any of the recommended changes. It’s estimated to cost between $350,000$500,000 to utilize Onondaga County’s CAD system; a new stand-alone system for just Madison County could cost up to $2 million for the most high-end models. The cost of hiring additional personnel in Madison County (for the assistant director and two shift supervisors) is estimated to be approximately $173,000. Madison County would also be responsible for the cost to expand the backup center.

Although final considerations would still need to be made between the two counties, the study outlines an estimated operational cost to Madison County of approximately 15 percent of Onondaga County’s $23 million budget, minus expenses that wouldn’t be applied to Madison County (approximately $5.3 million of Onondaga County’s budget). In total, the study estimates it would cost Madison County approximately $2.66 million a year to consolidate. Its current budget is $3.3 million.

Madison County Emergency Management Director Ted Halpin said there have been informal discussions of consolidating for years. The county’s recent radio upgrade included some consolidation with Onondaga County, saving Madison approximately $2 million, he said.

Moving forward, Madison County Administrator Mark Scimone said the board will need time to digest the findings of the study and wants to hear from the public. An upgrade to the county’s CAD system could come sooner than a decision to consolidate, he said. Madison County also has the option to utilize Onondaga County’s CAD system and decline any further consolidation.

If the two counties do decide to consolidate into a regional emergency communications center, Scimone said there are opportunities available for funding from the state, which has pushed for government consolidation efforts in general in recent years.

A public meeting on the findings of the study is scheduled for June 27 at 6:30 p.m. at the Chittenango High School.

Here’s the link to the full report: www.madisoncounty.ny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/9602/Winbourne- Consulting911-Study-Final-Report