Consideration and Approval of Contract:  Intergovernmental Agreement between the City of Flagstaff and the Forest Lakes Fire District for dispatch services

The City of Flagstaff, acting through the Police Department, desires to provide dispatching services to the Forest Lakes Fire District. This agreement serves as a five-year agreement during which dispatch services will be provided to the Forest Lakes Fire District.

Approval of this agreement will continue to enhance interagency collaboration, information sharing via direct radio contact and more timely interoperability between the Forest Lakes Fire District and the Flagstaff 911 Communications Center. This change will enable a more timely response to fire and medical emergencies for the citizens in their district. This will allow the ability to share information with our fire districts directly rather than relaying information via third party telephone contact into the Communications Center and then out to the appropriate Fire District groups.

Approval of this agreement will establish cost recovery for the indirect and direct costs based on the currently utilized cost per call format. The 2017 projected cost recovery is estimated at $7,435.62. This number is based on the actual calls for service that were relayed by the Flagstaff 911 Communications Center to the Forest Lakes Fire District in 2016. The current cost per call formula is what the Flagstaff 911 Communications Center applies via contract to all user agencies dispatched by the Communications Center.

Effective Governance (Public Safety Goal PF.3).  Provide high-quality emergency response and public safety services including law enforcement, fire, and medical transport.

 By approving this agreement, the Forest Lakes Fire District will be dispatched consistently along with the other rural fire departments currently served by out Communications Center, their 911 public safety answering point (PSAP).  This change ensures direct and inter-operative communication between the responding fire and medical units and the dispatch center by providing direct radio information relays rather than by telephone to a second party. We currently do not track Forest Lakes Fire District units after they have been dispatched on a call for service due to their current radio system configuration. The radio system update accompanied by this agreement will now allow timely and consistent toning and tracking of Forest Lakes Fire District emergency response units.

No

The council may choose to approve or disapprove this agreement. If approved, this agreement allows direct communication/dispatch interoperability with the Forest Lakes Fire District. Disapproval will eliminate direct contact with the field units and will require that we continue to use a second party to pass along fire and medical information.

Historically, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has been the dispatch services provider for the Forest Lakes Fire District. In 2001, when the Flagstaff Police Department began managing the co-located and combined Flagstaff 911 Communications Center, the Forest Lakes Fire District as a historical partner was also included, however, without full two-way radio communication. The Flagstaff 911 Communications Center is the Primary Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for the southern half of Coconino County which includes the Forest Lakes community. We handle all incoming 911 and business calls for service. The current dispatching service is being completed via telephone. The call for service and all pertinent information is relayed via telephone to a member of the Forest Lakes Fire District. They then pass along the information to the responding units via radio. The fire units currently do not have direct contact to our Communications Center. They must contact their dispatcher who then calls our Communications Center if they need assistance with a deputy or to relay any information regarding their call for service.

This is not a timely way to conduct business or best for the customer requesting assistance.

The development of this contract is based on the expansion of the Forest Lakes radio system that will be able to reach the Flagstaff 911 Communications Center from the Forest Lakes area.

The approval of this agreement will provide streamlined, direct and consistent dispatch services as outlined and for financial consideration based on a cost per call basis. This will ensure direct and intraoperative communication between Forest Lakes Fire District and the 9-1-1 Communications Center.

This agreement provides for payment based on a cost per call basis and will assist in offsetting the cost of operating the Communications Center.

The approval of this agreement will maintain a positive relationship with the Forest Lakes Fire District that will enable quick, efficient and effective responses of fire and emergency personnel as a result of 911 calls from the individuals, citizens and community members within their district. By dispatching directly to the necessary units, it will eliminate the need for a second party to relay information and the potential for the loss of information in that translation. Approval of this agreement will make the Forest Lakes Fire District a fully active member of the Communications User Group allowing them to provide input and feedback to the Center on procedures and policies related to best practices.

Inform: The Forest Lakes Fire District has requested dispatch services from the Flagstaff Police Department 9-1-1 Communications Center.