HOULTON, Maine — A proposal that, if passed, would have the Penobscot Regional Communications Center or another such entity answer E-911 calls originating from The County is still being considered by county officials, Aroostook County Administrator Doug Beaulieu said Tuesday.
A recommendation by the finance committee to budget just under $190,000 for emergency call services in 2009-10 has been accepted by county officials.
Aroostook County commissioners began considering the move earlier this fall after the Maine Department of Public Safety proposed a 60 percent increase in the rates charged for answering and dispatching services beginning in fiscal year 2010.
The proposed increase is before the Maine Public Utilities Commission.
At this point, the county pays $190,000 for Public Safety Answering Point services, Beaulieu said. The Houlton Regional Communications Center on U.S. Route 1 fields all emergency calls and then dispatches the correct emergency responder.
If the rate increase is approved, Aroostook County could pay $302,000 or more, Beaulieu said Tuesday.
Beaulieu said The County’s finance committee had recommended budgeting $189,768 for PSAP services in 2009-10, and that officials had accepted that suggestion.
“In the budget, the [County] finance committee has recommended that we appropriate $189,768 for that line item,” Beaulieu said. “So what they basically said to us is that if the current service provider cannot meet that, we have to shop around and find a provider that can.”
Commissioners are expected to decide whether or not to adopt the budget during a public hearing Thursday evening in Caribou.
Last month, James Ryan, executive director of the Penobscot Regional Communications Center, told the Aroostook commissioners that Penobscot County could provide PSAP services to Aroostook for $180,000 a year.
Some who would be affected by the arrangement have expressed fears over possible lost jobs and delays in emergency response times.
Kevin Scott, communications supervisor at the Houlton Regional Communications Center, said last month that some feared a reduced staff would lead to longer response times, since emergency calls would go to Penobscot County and the information would be taken by an emergency communications specialist. The Penobscot specialist then would relay information to an Aroostook County specialist, who in turn would relay it to the agency that was needed to handle the emergency.
In the past, residents saw a 50-cent surcharge on their phone bill to pay for E-911 services. In April, the Legislature passed an emergency bill that reduced the amount collected for the purpose of the E-911 system. The surcharge was lowered to 30 cents.
Earlier this week, Rep. Richard Cleary, D-Houlton, proposed legislation that would continue the surcharge at 50 cents per line. He said Tuesday that the purpose of the change is to make sure that E-911 services are maintained at the current level.
The bill will be considered when the Legislature convenes in January.
On 11/19/08 at 12:52 AM,
downeastlawman wrote:
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This is just the beginning of problems with deciding who is going to be the first point of contact for those with emergencies. Just like with schools and jails I think dispatch consolidation will become a very contorversial issue. I find it funny that Mr. Scott, being the state's communications supervisor, is pointing out the problems of having an agency outside of the local area handle your emergency calls but when any of the local dispatches try to make this point to the State it is dismissed as location not being all that important. Mr. Scott is absolutely correct but his opinion is apparently not shared by many of the higher ups in the State Department of Public Safety, Public Utilities Commission and others making the decisions on 9-1-1 dispatch consolidation. Why would you want someone miles and miles away taking your calls in an emergency, your just adding another person, and perhaps critical extra time into the whole process.
Everyone keep this article in mind as the State continues to try to consolidate PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points). There are several proposals out there including reducing the number of answering points statewide to only 4, the four State Dispatch centers in Houlton, Orono, Augusta, and Gray. Imagine if the State had a monopoly on 9-1-1 they then could increase the fees as much as they want and there would be no other option so you are stuck with it. Just like with the school consolidation is there really a big savings, I dont see it. You may eliminate a few jobs but each county or town will still have to keep most of their dispatchers because after the PSAP answers the 9-1-1 call it will be transfered back. So maybe you can save a little in the county budget but then you are just going to pay more to the State. Even if I was convinced there was a savings it would have to be a significant one for me to think it more important than the local knowledge of the dispatchers. Realistically the technology exist that we could just have all 9-1-1 calls go to one big call center in India who would in turn transfer them back to the respective agencies, that might save some money.
Aroostook County apparently thought there was enough savings to try it, or maybe they just didn't want to put in the effort to handle the training and changes when E 9-1-1 came about, but now they are in a bind. Wont it be great when those of you in Fort Kent are calling Bangor to get help. No doubt Penobscot RCC does a professional job but they will lack the local knowledge and with most calls it will just be an extra person to talk to in the process of getting a police officer, fire department, or ambulance.
I encourage BDN to do some more research and reporting on the issue of E9-1-1 dispatch and PSAP consolidation as I do believe it is an important issue that is going to soon affect many of us.
On 11/23/08 at 8:17 PM,
localperson wrote:
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I have heard rumor that this is a done deal...at least three people will lose their jobs sometime in either late January or February. I wonder what the county will do when Penobscot raises their rates because it will happen. The cost of doing business will be expensive and they will have to bring on more dispatchers that will fight for better pay and benefits. I'm glad the County will save a little money, at least for now, while at least three Aroostook County families are unemployed.
On 11/25/08 at 5:18 PM,
RocketScientist13 wrote:
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They should keep a PSAP in the County instead of routing everything to Penobscot Regional Communications Center. Control should stay local - makes it a lot easier when sending responses. Granted they will have maps, but someone that has worked for that agency would be much better at giving directions!
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