Crime & Safety

Congressman Presents Federal Grant for Joint Dispatch Center

Officials from New Providence, Summit and Berkeley Heights were on hand Monday morning to accept $558,900 grant.

NEW PROVIDENCE–Officials from Summit, New Providence and Berkeley Heights gathered at New Providence Borough Hall Monday morning to accept a federal grant from Congressman Leonard Lance for the proposed joint dispatch center that would serve the three communities.

Lance, NJ-7, announced the communities will receive a $558,900 2010 Regional Assistance to Firefighters grant from the Department of Homeland Security to put toward the project, which would consolidate police, fire and first aid dispatch for all three communities and put the operation under one roof in New Providence.

"Shared services is the way of the future," Lance said.

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The congressman was also quick to point out that this money is coming in the form of a federal grant the communities had to competitively apply for, not a legislative earmark.

Summit Fire Chief Joseph Houck said the $621,000 grant request was for the purchase of a two position fire dispatch console, a fire computer aided dispatch (CAD) program, fire records management system (RMS), mobile computer terminals (MDT’s) for fire apparatus and command vehicles, and training for fire department members and dispatchers.  The grant award is a 90 percent Federal share ($558,900) and a 10 percent Local share of ($62,100).

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The two key elements driving the proposal for the are a forthcoming need to upgrade all of the communications equipment in September 2011 when Verizon will no longer recognize the equipment currently being used, and the predicted cost savings from such a shared services venture.

The three communities are meeting now with consultants to determine which one they will use to outline how to bring this idea to reality, including what existing equipment can be salvaged, what new equipment needs to be purchased and what site upgrades will be required to build the dispatch center at the former New Providence Rescue Squad Facility, located in the borough's on Elkwood Avenue. All three communities passed resolutions last year expressing their interest in pursuing this project. However, these current meetings are also meant to reaffirm the commitments of all interested parties in the project.

While neither the full start up costs nor the initial and long-term cost savings are known, officials say the operating expenses for the joint dispatch center would be divided per capita for each municipality: roughly $13,000 for Berkeley Heights, $12,000 for New Providence and $21,000 in Summit.

In total, the three communities could save $662,000 in dispatching personnel costs before salary and benefits. The savings for the equipment upgrades alone could be anywhere from $185,863.52 to $215,325.33 depending on the system chosen.

Summit Police Chief Robert Lucid said each municipality would remain responsible for the rest of its own radio equipment.

Also on hand for the announcement was New Providence Mayor J. Brooke Hern, Assemblywoman Nancy Munoz, New Providence Councilman Rob Munoz, and several Summit council members including Councilwoman Ellen Dickson, Council President Dave Bomgaars, Councilman Tom Getzendanner and Councilman Michael Vernotico.

Berkeley Heights Fire Chief Anthony Padovano was also in attendance.

Summit City Administrator Chris Cotter, a former Summit fire chief, said in December that it is likely the dispatch center could be up and running in November 2011 and would not negatively impact the existing mutual aid agreement with the Millburn Fire Department.


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