Anglace: Fire Comm. System is 'Not a Drop Everything And Do It Today Project'

October 24, 2011

Assistant Chief Nicholas Verdicchio

Chairman, Officer's Council

Shelton Fire Department

Dear Nick,

In response to questions you raised regarding the Fire Department Communications System, I share with you a layman's view of what has happened, much of which has been provided through interviews, memory and retrieved documents.

The Shelton Fire Department Communications System is one part of the overall Shelton Emergency Management Communications System. Since approximately 2006 the Public Safety Council (Mayor, Police Chief, Fire Marshal, Fire Chief, EMS & OEM) has been charged with addressing the needs of the entire City Communications System.

Back in 2006/2007 studies were authorized to determine the extent of improvements necessary to bring the Fire Department Communications system up to state of the art status. The options provided by those studies were discussed by the Public Safety Council. It was decided to pursue a course of action to secure a high band pubiic safety radio frequency from the FCC. The risks of pursuing this approach were understood and agreed. There were no guarantees that such a frequency wouid be granted. Everyone knew the extensive time requirements that were necessary to be followed and were also aware of the applications required for low band frequencies that were not the answer to the Shelton Fire Communications issues but were part of the application process before you could apply for the high band frequency. While time was of the essence for us, the federal system to secure the right results was time consuming and fraught with the possibiiity of failure.

A communications subcontractor was put in place to respond to individual issues and provide maintenance of the existing FD. Communications system which, as it became oider was also becoming more obsolete with less and less parts supported by the manufacturer. This was a conscious user decision with the risks accepted because it was the only way to go to get to the best possible system fix...the public safety high band FCC frequency.

I have spoken with former Fire Chief John Milio, former Fire Chief Francis Jones and yourself. As Chairman of the Fire Department Council you wrote the Board of Alderman asking our help to:

1. Assess and communicate what is being done to upgrade the FD. radio system
2. Determine if there is a January, 2012 deadline to implement the newly granted FCC high band frequency and,
3. Determine if an extension to that date has been applied for.

l said l would ask the Public Safety Councìi to provide the Council with a summary assessment of where this project stands. My unofficial knowledge of it is that the FCC Frequency has been granted and Northeastern Communication Inc. is currently doing the engineering work. They will provide us with bid ready specifications when their work is completed. This is not a drop everything and do it today project. It is very technical requiring testing to insure operability, securing of sites for antennae, etc. It is also my understanding that the FCC granted frequency does have an implementation deadline. Expectations are that the Engineering aspect of the project will be completed on time.

My investigation also shows the absence of monthly reports from the Fire Chief to the members of the Fire Service since the resignation of Fire Chief Jones over a year ago. This might also explain why the Officer's Council feels frustrated.

Former Fire Chief Francis Jones has agreed to prepare a synopsis in time line fashion to show where we were, where we are and where we are going with the F. D. Radio Communications System while he was the Fire Chief.

Former Fire Chief John Milio is now Director of O.E.M. and has maintained continuity with this issue from the beginning. He will help with this summary.

Part of the communications frustration felt by rank and file fighters could be explained in the fact that the Homeland Security requirements designed to protect the integrity of such emergency communications systems from sabotage has strict communications requirements thereby necessitating Executive Planning Sessions followed by few details.

I have read the FEMA Grant Application filed by Fire Commissioner Tim Manion and have communicated with the City Grants Coordinator, Charlene DeFilippo who attests to the fact that the City share of this $2.1 million grant does not get acted on by the BOA until the Grant is received and the final cost is fixed. You might be interested to know that the City has spent upwards of $600,000 on communications issues since 2007.

Along the way such issues as interoperability have been resolved and other progress has been achieved.

Unfortunately, this important but long term Fire Department communications fix makes good political fodder and with a general City election pending, the issue has been raised. Those who now raise the issue have done so before. We acknowledge that and we recognize that everyone's goal is to provide the best FD. communications possible. We also acknowledge the continued pursuit of this goal by the Public Safety Council, the involvement of the end users in the
decision making process and the support services provided (as planned and agreed) to keep the current system as viable as possible until we have achieved the final result.

From this summary one can easiiy see why the BOA would be fully committed to spending the money necessary to provide the best communications system possible for our emergency responders. In the interim, by copy of this letter, the BOA is asking the Public Safety Council to provide continuing communication to the Council and the Board of Fire Commissioners regarding progress toward achievement of this important goal.

Please let me know if we can be of further assistance.

John F. Anglace, Jr.

President, Board of Aldermen