911 Emergency Services Board to begin process of digital
mapping system for cellular telephone system upgrade
BY DALE ELLIS Managing Editor 20 Mar 2003
The White County 911 Emergency Services Board voted Wednesday night to begin the
process of digital mapping that is necessary to upgrade the county's emergency-911 system
to identify and locate cellular telephone callers. Larry Cole, a representative with Grace
Communications, and David Carter from Southwestern Bell talked to the board about the
mapping process and equipment requirements.
A benefit of the upgrade will be instantaneous identification and
location of cellular telephone calls to the 911 system. Currently, the city of Searcy is
at Phase I of the process, which enables dispatchers to identify cellular telephone
numbers, but not the locations. The sheriff's department has the needed equipment in place
for that capability, but not the software.
What is needed to bring the systems to Phase II, which will show
dispatchers the location of such calls, is what is called a digital mapping system and the
necessary software to display the map on a computer screen. The board's plan is the
upgrade the sheriff's department to Phase I and bring both systems to Phase II at the same
time.
Carter explained to the board that, because the necessary circuits are
already in place with the sheriff's department system, it should be a simple matter to
achieve the upgrade to Phase I.
"It's a simple process to take the numbers to the towers and route
them through the ESN s (emergency service numbers)," he said. "It could be done
in a week."
Last week, the board was told by another service representative that the
process could take as long as six months, which Carter said would be the case if all of
the circuits were not already in place.
"That's when you start from scratch," he said. "The
circuits are in place. You aren't starting from scratch."
Carter said that Phase II systems are already either in operation or
nearing completion in a number of Arkansas counties, such as Stone County, Conway County,
Pike County, Miller County, and others.
At stake for the board is White County's share of $25 million in grant
money for 911 systems through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department
of Homeland Security.
"That's what we're worried about," said Searcy Police Chief J
.R. Thomas, a member of the board, "all of these other counties going in ahead of us
and getting all of the money."
"There's money out there," Carter said. "If you don't go after
it you' re going to miss out."
One problem the board discussed is the cost of the mapping system, which
would come to about $20,000 for a complete map. However, Carter said as long as a workable
map is in place, the county will qualify for some grant money.
"They said you need a map to collect this money," he
said. "They never said it has to be complete. You just need a map."
Because the money is not in the budget for the mapping project, it would
have to be appropriated by the quorum court. County Judge Bob Parish said that he would
talk to the court about the project, the cost of which can be reimbursed through grant
money.
"I think I can get the quorum court to understand that,"
Parish said. "We do have some money."
Much of the cost of the system could be refunded, depending on the
volume of cellular telephone calls handled by the system, the board was told. A three
month study of telephone traffic would note the percentage of cellular traffic, and that
percentage could be refunded to the county.
"In some counties it's 70, 80, 90 percent," Carter said.
"I talked to one lady whose percentage was 85 percent. That means 85 percent of her
PSAP equipment was paid for."
The board voted to begin taking bids for the mapping project. Thomas
arranged to have the state specifications for the mapping sent to the board.
In other action, the board discussed the problems some rural fire
departments have been having with missed pages for fires and other emergencies.
It was learned that some pagers had been improperly. programmed to the
wrong paging frequency. Each department is responsible for purchasing and programming its
own pagers.
"Obviously we can't tell them what kind of equipment to purchase:'
said Bobby Armstrong, board co-chair. "But they came to us to help them."
It was determined that in most cases, reprogramming should correct the
problem.
Board Chairman Bill Haynie noted to the board that some controversy had
come about over a misunderstanding of the role of Roger Gray to present recommendations to
the board on needed improvements in a variety of areas.
That Two weeks ago, the board authorized Gray to make a list of improvements
in several areas, including rural fire department boundaries, but Haynie noted that the
board gave Gray no authority to actually make any changes.
"He was asked to put ideas on paper and submit them," Haynie
said. "He's not going to redraw any boundaries."
"We welcome any ideas from concerned citizens," Thomas said.
The board also decided to begin the search for a secretary, to be paid
on contract at. the rate of $50 per meeting. Several area residents have already expressed
interest and the board will look over all applicants at its next meeting to be held
Wednesday, March 26.
At that meeting, the board will also continue to work out a job
description for a 911 administrator/OES coordinator. Resumes for that position will be
accepted until April 4 in the county judge's office at the White County Courthouse.
The board will also receive an update on the upgrade to Phase I for the
sheriff's department communications center.
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