BELLA VISTA -- The City Council learned more about software and hardware to improve it's fire, police and EMS dispatch system during its work session Tuesday.
One item on the agenda was a proposed $52,000 contract with Salt Lake City-based Priority Dispatch to buy emergency medical dispatch pre-arrival software. Another was for buy a fire station alerting equipment, which would work with emergency medical software, for no more than $106,000.
Dispatch supervisor Christy Terry explained the software prompts dispatchers to ask the most relevant questions in the ideal order to get as much information about a patient as possible before emergency workers arrive.
"It will ask your most prioritized questions in the beginning," she said.
Firefighter-paramedic Scott Larson said that could save time getting units to emergency scenes. As is, dispatchers have to put callers on hold and dispatch emergency workers over the radio, which may take as long as 20 seconds. With the new system in place, the dispatcher will be free to collect information during that time, he said.
Units can be automatically dispatched with this system, he said, but there's still some discretion for the dispatcher. Dispatchers will receive a screen showing the required units and response levels, he said, but may opt to increase the response level or number of units if the call seems to demand it.
"That will all be automated through the hardware and the software that we'll have," he said. "That allows the dispatcher to stay on the phone."
The hardware include sa few server computers, he said, as well as keypads to send signals to stations. The hardware also includes redundancy, with signals sent simultaneously via web connections and radio, Larson said.
Terry said once the system knows the patient's primary complaint and location it'll allow for an automated dispatch of the necessary units.
Benton County, Rogers and Bentonville are using the same software and have had good results with it, she said.
While there was a lower bid for dispatch software, she said, using the same software as Benton County allows calls to be transferred seamlessly -- which is particularly important because Bella Vista isn't the primary public service answering point, or PSAP. When someone in Bella Vista dials 911, the call goes to Benton County's Central Communications office and is then passed to Bella Vista, she said.
Police chief James Graves said the cost for dispatch software will be split between the Police and Fire departments because it benefits both. Moreover, he said they can help Bella Vista work toward becoming a primary PSAP in the future and, until then, help the city's dispatch center work more smoothly.
"It's going to relieve their stress, it's going to help their work," Graves said.
NW News on 02/21/2018