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 programcosts approx 7.4M Included operating costs, relocate 10 PSAP’s, re-arrange 38 PSAP’s 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. Population of Mass. = 6,349,097 (2000 Census) FCC says: 4,600,678 access lines reported on 12/01 in Mass. by: 2 ILEC’s (99.9+% Verizon) – 3,931,469 10 CLEC’s (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) How Many Wireline Access Lines Are There?

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 PSAP’s

5. Network and PSAP Equipment • Need to keep funding 911 phone network (upgrades and future functionality) • Need to replace APU’s 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 TC’s/Dispatchers

8. Survey Continued • Looks like 2000+ non-sworn full and part-time dispatchers in 275 PSAP’s • Need to consider number of others in secondary PSAP’s, 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 TC’s 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 TC’s hired after a certain date and/or • Require initial certification of veteran TC’s who may not have attended formal classes – need to consider factoring-in experience with

11. Standards for Content Number of Hours per Year (40-120 hrs in many states are required) Certification Process (many states require basic certification) What Should be In-Service Training? • 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 PSAP’s 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 PSAP’s • CT gives subsidies to their large city’s (New Haven, Bridgeport, Hartford, etc.) • What is needed in Mass.: • The 5 city’s over 100K pop have almost 20% of the population (Bos, Wor, Spring, Low, Camb.) • There are 12 city’s 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 PSAP’s. 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 city’s 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., can’t 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)