Client: City of Danbury, CT | Danbury, CT
The Challenge
The City of Danbury, CT, was operating two emergency communications centers that were not integrated and were in different locations. Police officers and firefighters staffed the centers and performed the duties of Telecommunicators. Due to highly trained first responders performing call-taking and dispatching functions, the City had critical personnel off the street that added unnecessary costs.
Our Approach
IXP is now delivering a managed service solution under which we staff, operate, and manage a combined Communications Center for police/fire/EMS response, as well as staffing the 3-1-1 information line and the IT function for the police and fire departments. This solution provides substantial cost savings, integrated levels of service, and financial predictability. Under this solution, IXP provides the following:
- Staffing for police/fire/EMS dispatch, which includes a center manager, supervisors, Communications Training Officers (CTO), and all Telecommunicators;
- Workload metrics to provide the appropriate Telecommunicator levels 24/7;
- Staffing for all front window activities at the Danbury Police Department;
- Staffing and management for the City’s 3-1-1 complaint line 24/7;
- IT support function for the police and fire department with 24/7 coverage and response;
- Recruitment, testing, and local hiring of communications center staff;
- Establishing and conducting training that meets and exceeds state requirements and industry standards;
- Cross-training of all Telecommunicators as 911 call takers, police dispatchers, and fire dispatchers;
- Development, in collaboration with Danbury officials, of written policies and procedures for the combined communications center that integrates workflow for both the police and fire response;
- A local jobs program to educate the community and promote the career path for Telecommunicators in the local area;
- Day-to-day management of the 24/7/365 operation;
- Service level metrics are included within the contract to ensure that emergency calls are answered and dispatched within industry standards; and
- Quality Assurance program and a continuing education program that maintains service levels to the community.
IXP was actively engaged in assisting Danbury with the migration of its fire and police communications center into one consolidated operation. We provided project management and technical support services by integrating technologies and conducting staffing studies through the analysis of workload metrics. IXP also supported the planning and coordination between Danbury government departments; installation of workstations and monitors; cable and switch installation for servers and PCs; EMD transition; vendor oversight; and providing ongoing support with the stabilization of the Nexgen CAD/Mobile/RMS application.
The Solution
IXP is providing a solution to the City of Danbury that delivers considerable cost savings, a high level of service for the community, and returns many police and fire resources to the field. It allows police officer and fire staffing to remain at scheduled levels, regardless of staffing within the Communications Center. In addition, IXP is staffing both the 3-1-1 information line and IT function for both police and fire. The City realizes sustainable long-term cost savings and a new and friendlier connection to the community from working with IXP for the recruitment, hiring, training, and deployment of staff to perform call-taking, dispatching, 3-1-1 information services, IT services, and police front window duties. Telecommunicators for the Western Connecticut 9-1-1 Communications Center and the Front Window Public Safety Advocates handle over 60,000 calls for service per year. The three-year, fixed-price contract also provides the City with financial predictability and saves the City over $1M per year in operating budget dollars.