Study Recommends Moving Forward With Regional Dispatch Center

“Due to geography, mutual aid, and funding reasons, it is paramount that these three municipalities join together in this project before it is forced upon us with partners not of our choosing,” the study reports. “The regionalization of communications will optimize grant funding resources from the state and the federal government to offset municipal costs and reduce local tax burdens.”

The project managers said the three communities have cooperated in emergency matters, including mutual aid agreements and New London joining Waterford’s narrow-band radio system. It says having the ability to coordinate communications among the three municipalities would aid in coordination during both routine incidents and mass casualty disasters.

Most of the projected savings to the town would come from eliminating part-time positions in each of the three dispatch centers. East Lyme has 16 part-time dispatchers, New London has two, and Waterford has three as well as two police officers who are also trained as dispatchers. Full-time dispatchers—nine in Waterford, eight in New London, and four in East Lyme—would all retain their jobs. The total estimated savings among all three municipalities from cutting the part-time positions is $153,693.

The report says Waterford’s dispatch center would require the least amount of capital investment, although two of five work stations would require an upgrade at a cost of about $20,000. The report also estimates a total annual savings to the three municipalities of $61,000 for a shared dispatch system.

Other recommendations include having professional information technology personnel available to service both mobile systems and those at the dispatch center and a governance board to represent emergency services in each municipality.

The project managers who compiled the report are William Allen, an East Lyme firefighter; Sgt. Steve Bellos and Lt. Brett Mahoney of the Waterford Police Department; and Tammy Daugherty, director of the Office of Planning and Development and administrator in Finizio’s office.

“We are encouraged by the potential safety enhancements and operating efficiencies that could occur with the possible regionalization of our public safety communications network,” Formica said. “It was clear that the project managers for each town worked very hard as a team to put together this detailed draft feasibility study.”

Formica, however, hasn't ruled out the possibility of the town of East Lyme exploring other options for a regional dispatch center. Although he said that joining forces with Waterford and New London looks to be the most viable proposition, there's also the possibility of East Lyme creating a regional dispatch center with Montville or with KX regional dispatch group, which covers Salem to Colchester.

Old Lyme and Lyme have also been approached but their mutual aid agreements are with towns on the other side of the Connecticut River, Formica said, and because they are members of a different regional council of governments they're inclined to continue working cooperatively with towns such as Haddam and Old Saybrook. 

In the meantime, all three are in favor of continuing to work on the next steps required for implementing a regional dispatch center together.

"We are very pleased with the report and the feasibility of the process,” Steward said. “The report reflects the professional attitude and diligence of our teams to provide accurate and helpful information. We look forward to further information regarding this process."

The same project managers will work on the implementation plan and are charged with presenting it on or before Dec. 31.

“All interested parties and political bodies will have input into the process and will have a seat at the table,” Finizio said in a statement. “What this feasibility report demonstrates, however, is that the benefits of this regional approach from both a public safety and monetary standpoint, indicate that the time has come to act. It is time to move this forward.”