Barring any cuts in Blaine County's consolidated dispatch service budget, Bellevue's funding share will come to nearly $63,000 next year, the system's director told the City Council last week.
Until last December, 911 calls were handled by the county sheriff's office and the city of Ketchum. Since then, countywide emergency communications have been consolidated at the sheriff's office. This fall, they will be moved to the new Public Safety Facility in Hailey. In fiscal year 2008-2009, for the first time, all Blaine County municipalities will share the system's cost, estimated at $2.1 million. Before the system was set up, they agreed to fund it based on their share of call volume.
During a City Council meeting Thursday, May 22, County Administrator Mike McNees and Emergency Communications Center Director Robert Greenlaw presented the council with its first plan for consolidated emergency communications.
They said that of the total emergency calls made in Blaine County during fiscal year 2007, callers from the city of Bellevue made 2,027 calls, 6.2 percent of the total. That translates to a bill for $62,978 for next year.
McNees said there is a possibility of downsizing the system's improvements and in turn the overall cost.
"We understand that $60,000 is a big number for Bellevue, especially for just one year," he said.
McNees said some cost-cutting solutions include scaling back funding on the capital side and not buying all new equipment, which would save Blaine County $200,000. He said the number of people on shift could be decreased from three to two, saving about $150,000.
Greenlaw was quick to point out that with an increase in cost also comes a marked increase in service. Under a consolidated emergency dispatch system, the following requirements are in place:
· All telecommunicators must maintain a 40-hour Basic Telecommunicator certification
· All telecommunicators must maintain Emergency Medical Dispatch and CPR certifications, which allow them to tell the caller what to do until the emergency service team arrives on location.
· All candidates will be screened by a hiring board representing police, fire, EMS and dispatch.
· All shifts will be covered by a minimum of two telecommunicators, 24 hours a day, seven days a week without interruption.
· New procedures provide for proper maintenance and timely replacement of system components.
· The system will be eligible for CALEA accreditation—a program to promote quality public-safety communication services and to recognize professional excellence. An evaluation will take place every three years, by an outside team of inspectors who will produce a 25-page report on the system and its performance.
Over the next couple of months, McNees and Greenlaw plan to work with the Bellevue City Council to find an affordable and effective version of the system.
