Pierce, St. Croix County Boards to explore merging 9-1-1 Centers
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In an ongoing effort to explore ways to collaborate, create efficiencies and improve service the County Boards of Pierce and St. Croix County have engaged PSC Alliance Inc. of Minneapolis, MN to perform an analysis that will explore feasibility of merging the now separate 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) operated by each County. The analysis will consider policy, fiscal, and operational matters associated with the delivery of PSAP services. The analysis will compare current approaches to scenarios where call answering and dispatching services are delivered collaboratively using staff and equipment at a single location.
The announcement comes as Pierce County officials consider recommendations flowing from a June, 2013 study by an Ad Hoc Committee which considered certain issues relating to the jail and existing dispatch center located in Ellsworth. Among the issues explored by that committee were construction of a new jail, remodeling/add-on of the existing facility, closing the County jail, cost estimates, and splitting the jobs of the current jailer/dispatchers into two separate job descriptions/ positions and/or potential merging of 9-1-1 PSAP services with neighboring county(s).
In St. Croix County local officials are currently undertaking a capital improvement project to upgrade the existing 9-1-1 PSAP in Hudson to make better use of space, accommodate additional dispatch work stations, improve work flow, and allow expanded capacity for growth and service demand.
PSC Alliance Inc. specializes in projects serving the public safety community through enhancements in operations, organization, and with a focus on the design, application and use of technology. PSC has performed other previous PSAP merger feasibility analyses and anticipates having findings for the Pierce/St. Croix project available later in 2013.
For additional information contact:
• Pierce County: JoAnn Miller, Administrative Coordinator, 715-274-6851
• St. Croix County: Patrick Thompson, County Administrator, 715-381-4311
• PSC Alliance Inc: Jeff Nelson, President, 612-216-1502