iXP Provides Overall Technical Architecture Support for New York City Emergency Communications Transformation Program

New York, NY

Sector: Municipal Agency
Focus: Emergency Communications Transformation
Started: 2005

Situation

The New York City Emergency Communications Transformation Program (ECTP) is a comprehensive initiative covering over 30 component projects. While Hewlett-Packard Corporation is the prime contractor, iXP, part of the original team that designed and implemented the New York City Public Safety Answering Center (PSAC), remains a core member of the HP team.

Solution

iXP provides subject matter expertise and system services across a wide number of ECTP projects. These items include:

System Integration and Management (SIMO) - HP has retained iXP to provide the overall technical architecture support to the ECTP program. Throughout the three and a half year history of this project, iXP has provided a fulltime Senior Technical Architect and two subject matter consultants for this program over the past three years. This support continues today.

FDNY Voice Radio - This component has been assigned to iXP from the initial design. The project included the design of a voice radio console system for the new ECTP dispatch center at PSAC1 as well as the currently utilized Queens and Bronx Fire Central Offices. The City of New York chose to utilize the Motorola Centracom Gold Elite console system. iXP led the design effort of the console system for each location, as well as the citywide audio network that allows all radio communications for the FDNY to be utilized at each site. Two of the sites, Queens and Bronx CO's, have already cut over to these new systems. The third site, the PSAC, is scheduled for first quarter of 2009.

ERS and Voice Alarm - The City of New York continues to operate emergency call boxes throughout the city as a means for citizens to report emergencies. As part of the ECTP program, iXP has been involved in the oversight of the modernization of these systems as well as the design and planning for migration of these critical communications systems into the new ECTP PSAC. Specifically, iXP has provided both the technical subject matter expert for this design as well as coordination of the actual design and construction of the audio network to support these systems at the new PSAC.

Logging & Recording - iXP provided a team of two design engineers for both the NYPD and the FDNY to design and procure a new logging and recording system as well as a solution for the long term archival of call records. These designs were completed and are currently in the late stages of implementation. During the implementation, iXP has assigned two project managers responsible for the staging and factory acceptance of these systems, the coordination of site preparation work at all affected locations, the managing and reporting of the schedule, and the final acceptance testing by the City agencies.

PSAC maintenance - iXP maintains the current NYPD operations at the primary PSAC location as well as the backup center at police headquarters. Through a team of six fulltime individuals, iXP manages all calls for service at a primary level and coordinates all issues from creation to close. This includes the management of a series of vendors that provide level 2 and level 3 support for the components that make up this center.

NYPD AVL - iXP provided strategic planning services for the use and deployment of AVL for the New York City Police Department. The iXP plan addressed design, implementation, technology and most importantly, operational issues that would be affected under such a deployment.

Result

iXP provides ongoing support and expertise for successful development and operation of a highly complex and demanding Emergency Communications infrastructure for the City of New York.

Value Delivered. Problem Solved.