Published: May 15, 2008 08:00 am            

New 911 center built; equipment being purchased

The new building that will house Madison County’s joint emergency information center has been completed, but it will have no occupants for several months.

The move to the building was delayed last month after the interagency board that operates the 911 dispatch system that serves all local first responders except Richmond’s learned its new digital communications equipment manufactured by M/A Com would not be available until sometime in the fall.

Moving the existing Motorola equipment would cost “tens of thousands of dollars” and would void warranties, said Berea Police Chief Dwayne Brumley, who chairs the board.

Wednesday morning, the board reviewed a check list of furnishings and equipment other than communications.

In case of a power outage, electricity for the center will be provided by a diesel-powered generator. Carlos Coyle, deputy director of Madison County Emergency Medical Service who oversaw the building’s construction, recommended diesel over natural gas.

Diesel fuel can be more easily resupplied though the vendor who supplies fuel for county vehicles. Also, natural gas lines could be ruptured by an earthquake, he said.

The generator’s estimated $80,000 cost will be shared by the Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program, which also will use the center.

Money saved from sharing the generator, plus lower than expected costs of copper and fiber wiring and other items, should allow the fully equipped facility to be delivered within budget, Coyle said.

The board authorized Coyle to proceed with purchases of phone, security and fire-suppression systems for the building.

“Carlos did an outstanding job overseeing construction of our share of the building, and I think we should authorize him to proceed with acquiring this other equipment,” Brumley said.

The dispatch system will be expandable, Brumley said.

“We want it to be able to serve Richmond fire and police if they come on board,” he said. “Even if Richmond doesn’t join us, we know the county and Berea will grow, and we need to be prepared.”

The board’s human resources policy, which includes mandatory random drug testing, was approved for submission to the Madison Fiscal Court.

The board’s $985,750 budget for the 2008-09 fiscal year was previously submitted for fiscal court approval. Fiscal court and Berea City Council will each be asked to hold $30,000 in reserve to cover potential budget overruns for the year. The county ambulance board will be asked to hold $12,500 in reserve.

Bill Robinson can be reached at brobinson@richmondregister.com or at 623-1669, Ext. 267.

        

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