Anne Arundel County has announced it recently launched an upgraded 9-1-1 Dispatch system that will help first responders more efficiently and effectively respond to calls for service around the jurisdiction.
“We need to ensure our first responders have the best equipment available as they work to protect every citizen of Anne Arundel County,” said County Executive Steve Schuh. “The system upgrade is another step in our efforts to ensure we have the best public safety infrastructure in the State of Maryland.”
On Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 3:00 a.m., the Anne Arundel County Police and Fire Departments successfully transitioned to a new Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system at the County’s 9-1-1 Call Center. Until recently, the Police and Fire Department had been operating on a dispatch system that was installed in the early 1990’s. The new CAD system provides increased capacity with access to over 16 million historical records ensures reliability and accessibility for both departments and uses a graphic user interface which enables our users to more efficiently enter and retrieve information. The geo-centric nature of the CAD system incorporates location verification as well as geo-location for emergency service vehicles.
The outdated system was severely limited in its capabilities. The CAD transition team, comprised of members of the Office of Information Technology, Police and Fire Departments, has been working over the past two years with a vendor, Infor, to replace the existing CAD system. Members from both the Fire Department and Police Department Communications sections have been involved in the development, testing and training throughout the entire process and were well prepared to move forward with the cutover.
“The efficiencies and effectiveness gained by the upgrade to the 911 Call center technology is the first of many we hope to accomplish as part of the County Executives system modernization programs,” said OIT Director Rick Napolitano. “The team did a superb job and we hope all future cut overs go this smoothly.”
“The Automatic Vehicle Location component of the new system will increase efficiency and reduce response times by recognizing and recommending in real time the closest fire and EMS units dispatch to an emergency,” said Chief Allan Graves. “The system will also allow enhancements to public safety with its ability to integrate other current technology like PulsePoint, a smartphone application that notifies citizens of a patient needing CPR near their location.”
“I am truly grateful for the hard work put in by the CAD transition team whose efforts will not only boost our dispatching efficiency and patrol response, but improve dramatically the efficiency of information retrieval for our commanders and analysts who need accurate, real-time information,” said Chief Timothy Altomare.
The $2.2 million capital project was made possible through the JumpStart Anne Arundel capital project financing program. Enacted in 2015, the capital plan embraces a 30-year bond financing option. This reform has allowed Anne Arundel County to expand its capital funding program and make critical public safety, school, road, and quality of life infrastructure improvements from Brooklyn Park to Pasadena to Annapolis to Odenton.
