# Warren Dispatch Center needs upgrading



## MCOA41 (Sep 5, 2002)

Dispatch center needs upgrading
Friday, April 08, 2005
By KIM RING
[email protected] 
WARREN - The town needs to spend $4,250 to upgrade its emergency dispatch center, Police Chief Glenn McKiel told selectmen recently.

The town - along with all public safety answering points statewide - needs an upgrade to its E911 system.

While the town will get about $20,000 in new equipment for free, the layout of the dispatch area inside the Warren Police Station will need some changing. Holes drilled to accommodate the currently used equipment will need to be patched, a section of flooring has to be replaced and counters will have to be reconfigured because the new dispatch units are a different configuration, McKiel said.

The changes are needed because Verizon will no longer support the present dispatch systems after July 2006, McKiel said. Warren is set to change over between July and October of this year. If the town doesn't have the center ready by then, Warren will move to the end of the list, and McKiel was unsure when the new equipment would be installed if that happened.

The E911 system, which was implemented in the 1990s, is far more comprehensive than older methods of emergency dispatching. When a telephone at the dispatch center rings, a corresponding address, the caller's name and telephone number automatically appear on a computer screen in front of the dispatcher, allowing dispatchers to save time when a caller cannot relate information to them.

McKiel said the new equipment will consist of a large tower and two computer stations with flat screen monitors and wireless keyboards. Some of the money, about $1,800, will be used to train dispatchers to use the new equipment, he said.

Selectmen agreed to place a request for the funding on the warrant for the upcoming annual Town Meeting.


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## MCOA41 (Sep 5, 2002)

To the Warren PO's on here pass this on to your chief.

There are grants out there for upgrades. Check the Dept of Homeland Security, APCO, Police grants and have your Fire Chief apply for Fire grants.

The money is out there. 

If you are going to update the center do it right not half a$$. make the center a good working place for the dispatchers that sit and work there 8 hours + a day.


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## MVS (Jul 2, 2003)

The Chief already applied and was awarded money for our radio system upgrade. The Fire department also received funding to do the same. If the money is out there, the Chief will find it. He is very good with the grants.


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