iXP Creates Strategic Plan for Jefferson County, Alabama's E9-1-1 and Public Safety Dispatching

Sector: Government

Focus: Strategic Planning Consulting/ Program Management

Started: 2005-2007

Situation

Jefferson County is the largest county in Alabama, with a population of approximately 660,000 over 1,113 square miles. Within the county more than two dozen distinct E9-1-1 public safety answering points (PSAPs) and emergency dispatch facilities provide emergency communications support to more than 50 fire departments and 22 police departments. There are also numerous Emergency Communications Districts (E9-1-1 taxing authorities), creating a fragmented approach to E9-1-1 funding and technology planning. With such diverse operations and infrastructure, multiple jurisdictions within the County were seeking to improve the quality of their public safety services to the community by increasing operational efficiency and economy through collocation or consolidation of many of the separate PSAP operations.

Ultimately, the County's priority is to ensure that its citizens and first responders have the emergency communications systems in place to effectively respond to all local and county-wide emergencies. Jefferson County turned to iXP to provide consulting and project management services to help them meet these goals.

Solution

The County requested an analysis of the existing dispatching environment and the appropriate recommendations to the 9-1-1 Advisory Board. This overall analysis incorporated the priority of establishing Fire and EMS Dispatch Services in a 9-1-1 Center operated by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office. This initiative impacted the facility, radio, E9-1-1, operational practices, personnel training and staffing configurations.

iXP guided Jefferson County through a fact-finding and visioning process that resulted in a Strategic Plan that could guide further efforts targeted at implementing the strategic goals. This Strategic Plan provided essential information about the current environment, insights on advantages of collocation and consolidation alternatives, and a roadmap for moving the project toward design, funding, and implementation.

The iXP team delivered a customized, comprehensive change management solution for Jefferson County, bringing to bear iXP's unique SAIF® methodology and extensive public safety communications expertise in governance, operations, technology, and facilities.

Results

From that foundation, iXP worked with the County and a multi-jurisdictional Project Governance Board and Operations Committee to help plan a shared facility that will allow the participating agencies to improve both the quality and efficiency of their emergency communications functions. iXP services included development of both facility and technology systems needs documentation, procurement specifications and support and oversight.

Value Delivered. Problem Solved.