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HomeMy WebLinkAboutORD-2010-033 Emergency Services Reserve Capital Project OrdinanceM+otchment 1 oP-P- aolo- 033 3 p -aa/o Emergency Services Reserve Capital Project Ordinance Be it ordained by the Orange County Board of County Commissioners that pursuant to Section 13.2 of Chapter 159 of the General Statutes of North Carolina, the following capital project is hereby adopted. Section 1. The project authorized reserves monies for Emergency Services related equipment, vehicles and capital maintenance. Proceeds from the use of Emergency Telephone funds as authorized by the General Assembly in FY 2008 -09 finance this project. Section 2. The officers of the County are hereby directed to proceed with the project within the budget contained herein. Section 3. The following revenue is anticipated to complete this project: Section 4. The following amount is appropriated for this project: Through FY 2008 -09 FY 2009 -10 Through FY 2009 -10 Sales Tax $0 $0 $0 2001 Bonds $0 $0 $0 2004 Two-Thirds Net Debt $0 $0 $0 From E911 funds $0 $1,200,000 $1,200,000 Other $0 $0 $0 Total Funding $0 $1,200,000 $1,200,000 Section 4. The following amount is appropriated for this project: Through FY 2008 -09 FY 2009 -10 Through FY 2009 -10 Land /Building $0 - $0 $0 Planning /Architect/Engineering $0 $0 $0 Reserve $0 $288,000 $288,000 Transfer to General Fund (Communications Improvements - FY 2009 -10) $0 $112,000 $112,000 Transfer to General Fund (Vehicle Purchases - FY 2009 -10) $0 $750,000 $750,000 Transfer to General Fund (Revere Road EMS Station - FY 2009 -10) $0 $50,0001 $50,000 Total Costs $0 $1,200,000 1 $1,200,000 /2 Section 5. This ordinance shall remain in effect until the Board of County Commissioners takes action to amend the ordinance or close the project ordinance upon completion of the project. Adopted this 20th day of April 2010. Attachment #2 NCDOT Highway Safety Camera Locations W ATTACHMENT #3: Public Safety Communications Improvements Project Specifications Backup Antennas: Thee Orange County E911 /Communications Center maintains telephone, data and radio communications with: Caldwell Volunteer Fire District Carrboro Fire Rescue Carrboro Police Cedar Grove Volunteer Fire District Chapel. Hill Fire Department Chapel Hill Police Durham County EMS Efland Volunteer Fire District Eno Volunteer Fire District Hillsborough Police Mebane Fire Department New Hope Volunteer Fire District North Carolina Forestry North Carolina Sate Highway Patrol North Chatham County Fire Orange Grove Volunteer Fire District Orange Rural (Hillsborough) Fire District South Orange Rescue Squad UNC Public Safety White Cross Volunteer Fire District The center was designed as the replacement for the aging former center at 1914 New Hope Church Road and contains only the basic components to maintain radio connectivity throughout the area. In the event a mechanical or electronic malfunction occurs to the primary (only) antennas, the center will lose communications with those areas and units affected by the particular antenna that fails. The center is located at the same location as the County's Emergency Operations Center and must remain operational in the event key figures are relocated to the EOC to maintain governmental services during or after a disaster. The antennas are one component that are vital to the continuity of operations. Portable and Mobile Radios: The basic communication component of the first responder is the portable ( "walkie- talkie ") assigned to most field personnel. As a safety component, the portable is indispensable in assuring the safety and welfare of the individual in the event he /she is threatened, enters a hazardous area or requires immediate backup to mitigate a threat. Coupled with the mobile radio installed in the police cruiser, fire truck, ambulance or command vehicle, the system requires a complex matrix of channels, zones and frequencies to ensure all responders can maintain interoperability. During emergency events the incident can quickly become chaotic with many different agencies communicating with the E911 /Communoications Telecommunicator coordinating the crosstalk by assigning various channels to the different disciplines — police, fire, EMS. The system is software- driven requiring each portable and mobile radio to be programmed to synchronize the dozens of frequency combinations /. The initial programming enabled the system to "go -live" and use a review period of the initial year to determine if any corrective frequency updating would be necessary. Following a meeting with the users, reprogramming is necessary to ensure all zones, channels and frequencies work together properly without interference. The orange mayday button will also be included in the reprogramming process to allow first responders access to this critical emergency feature. This action will allow firefighters and other first responders to activate the 7 button to summon help if they become trapped or come under fire and cannot call for help using verbal communication. Amateur Radio Link Support: The Amateur Radio Emergency Services group is an active organization of volunteers operating in Orange County that maintains their personal (ham radio) equipment to service first responders in the event the primary radio communications system fails. They also can be placed into service to open a communications link at the evacuee shelters, thus relieving communications and EOC personnel from the task, so they can focus on maintaining communications links with field responders. The ARES folks invest a great deal of time and their own money in the worthwhile effort to serve their community. To properly support their efforts at the Meadowlands Emergency Services site, appropriate support equipment needs to be installed to accommodate their equipment. An antenna and radio interlinking equipment is necessary to fully bring the ARES support network online. A support site at the EOC has been allocated to ensure safety and dependability of the systems and ensure quicker start-up time immediately following EOC activation. Satellite Phone Link: In the event that all landline telephone communications are cut, this system provides Orange County with a satellite based communications tool during a widespread outage. The Satellite phone system can connect directly with mutual aid counties, North Carolina State Emergency Operations Center, other emergency sites such as FEMA facilities when other forms of communication are down. The North Carolina EM Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) requires the County to maintain the satellite phone system. The State of NC funds the project through the annual Emergency Management Performance Grant (EMPG) process, but it is the department's (Orange County Emergency Services) to move the hardware from the previous E911 /EOC site (1914 New Hope Church Road) and reinstall it in the new Emergency Services building at the Meadowlands Drive complex. During hurricane and other region wide disaster events, the satellite phone proved to be critical in maintaining communications and coordinating efforts moving during widespread landline outages. NCDOT Highway Safety Camera System: The NC Department of Transportation allows access to their network of traffic cameras to assist public safety with monitoring traffic along major highways and interstates. During recent events the system could have been used to keep first responders on 1-40 and 1 -85 apprised of several important factors: 1) a vehicle driving the wrong way down 1-40; 2) a hazardous chemical spill; 3) a vehicle accident along 1-40 alerting first responders to respond from a specific exit/entrance to speed aid to the victims; and 4) keeping law enforcement updated during a chase along 1 -85. The system will reside in the E911 Communications Center to monitor roadway situations and more effectively route emergency response vehicles to major accident scenes. Weather conditions such as flooding, fog or other highway problems could also be better monitored along 1-40 and 1 -85 utilizing this system. a.Q-o - -ae/o - -::-, --: 3 P3 d. Proposed Revisions to the Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance (VFPO) The Board approved the revisions to the County's Voluntary Farmland Protection Ordinance. e. Resolution to Endorse Orange County Segment of the Mountains -to -Sea Trail The Board approved a resolution, which is incorporated by reference, in support of the proposed corridor for the planned North Carolina Mountains -to -Sea Trail through Orange County and authorized the Chair to sign, and directed staff to work with the County's partners on the next stages of the project. f. Proposed Master Plan - Hollow Rock Access Area at New Hope Preserve The Board approved the proposed master plan for the Hollow Rock Access Area and directed staff to schedule an opportunity for representatives from the Board to discuss master plan implementation (including key issues, future construction, and operation) with representatives from the Durham County Board of Commissioners, Chapel Hill Town Council, and Durham City Council. The Board would select Commissioner representatives for this meeting at a future point after completion of the current budget cycle (Note: Commissioners Gordon and Jacobs currently serve on one existing group, the Durham - Chapel Hill- Orange County Work Group). g Grant Application for Workforce Investment Act Youth Proposal The Board approved authorizing the Manager to sign the grant application and staff to submit the application; if the County is awarded the grant, authorized staff to negotiate an Agreement with the Regional Partnership Local Workforce Development Area, subject to review by the County Attorney, and authorized the Chair to sign the Agreement; and if the County is awarded the grant, authorized staff to receive the WIA grant funds and implement an appropriate budget amendment to reflect receipt of the funds. h. Public Safety Communications Improvements The Board approved the purchase of the items described under BACKGROUND to update the Public Safety Communications Infrastructure; and approved funds up to $112,000 from the Emergency Services Reserve Capital Project, allocate this amount to the Emergency Services Department's capital budget section within the General Fund for the purchase, and approved the attached capital project ordinance. i. Renewal of Consolidated Agreement Between Health Department and NC Department of Health and Human Services The Board approved the annual consolidated agreement between the NC Department of Health and Human Services and the Orange County Health Department, which provides State and Federal funds to the Health Department to partially support mandated services, and authorized the Chair to sign. L Second Reading: Emergency Services Franchise by Ordinance for Johnston Ambulance Service, Inc. The Board: 1. Approved on Second Reading the granting of a franchise by ordinance to Johnston Ambulance Service, Inc. (JAS) — the Franchise Agreement under which it will operate and authorized the Chair to sign: a. Convalescent Transport Services - Basic Life Support Transport Services b. Emergency Services - Basic Life Support Transport Services 2. Authorize the Chair to sign the Franchise Agreement; 3. Approve the Franchise Agreement under which Johnston Ambulance service, Inc. will operate during the five -year period of franchise, and that as a condition of the Franchise, JAS enter into an Operations Agreement with Orange County within 90 days to provide for the daily operational functions of JAS as it works within the Orange County Emergency Services System; and