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Department Profile

The Knox Regional Communications Center was created to provide a consolidated public safety answering point for 9-1-1 emergency calls within Knox County. After negotiations at both the State and Local level that have spanned three decades, the Knox R.C.C. will finally realize the ultimate goal on April 11, 2001 when the new 9-1-1 Enhanced system for Knox County is activated.

Historical Background

The idea of 9-1-1 Enhanced for the State of Maine dates back to the mid eighties.
In 1986 a feasibility study was conducted by the State of Maine. Results of this study eventually led to a 1988 statewide referendum seeking 3.2 million dollars as startup funds for the eventual implementation of 9-1-1 Enhanced. The referendum passed.

In 1990 an implementation study was conducted. This study was conducted to determine the number of Public Safety answering Points (PSAPs) that would be required for the State of Maine. A review of the total number of existing communications centers, personnel, and budget information was gathered. After many meetings and wrangling at the State level, the Emergency Services Communications Bureau was created in 1994. An increase in the telephone surcharge of .02 cents was approved by Legislature and a Director was appointed.

The first job of the Director was to develop a 9-1-1 RFP for the implementation of 9-1-1 Enhanced for the State of Maine. This RFP finally passed all the hurdles and was released in 1995. The Legislature at that time also approved the first Rules for establishing the ESCB and the 9-1-1 implementation.

In 1996 another .20 cent surcharge was approved. This money was needed to meet anticipated up front contractual money for the awarding of the contract. This was short-lived as an appeal by vendors in the language of the RFP was filed. Subsequently, in 1996 the award of the first RFP was appealed. Also during this time, a new Director of the ESCB was hired to oversee the project.

In 1998 a new Enhanced 9-1-1 Services RFP was released after many months of review. An increase in the telephone surcharge to .32 cents was also approved by Legislature. Finally, on December 28, 1998, a five year contract was issued to Bell Atlantic for a services based performance contract for the Statewide implementation of 9-1-1 Enhanced telephone network.

This has brought us to where we are today. Since the awarding of the contract, municipalities and County governments have been working hard to come up with a final number of PSAP's to handle the State. To date, that number is 48.

Knox County's Action Plan

The talk of combined dispatch services within Knox County has gone on as long as the thought of 9-1-1 Enhanced itself.
As far back as 1981 there were on-going talks about duplication of services within the County. The City of Rockland merged the operations of the Rockland Police Department and Fire Department into a combined dispatch center in May of 1983.

Talk of further combined dispatch services with other municipalities, including the Knox County Sheriff's Dept. were also discussed. Many meetings were held over the next several years to discuss consolidation of dispatching services, and the move toward a regional 9-1-1-dispatch center.

In 1998 Paul Plaisted of Justice Planning and Management Associates was hired to do a feasibility study of Knox County for Central Dispatch Services. His briefing paper was released on March 17, 1998. Since the release of this document, a dispatch advisory committee was formed to investigate the creation of a regional communications center in Knox County.

After many months of discussion, a recommendation was made to the County Commissioners that a Regional Center would work, and the City of Rockland was interested in joining a combined dispatch center. One of the major reasons for this merger was the fact that both Rockland PD and Knox SO had been named as PSAP sites for the new 9-1-1 Enhanced system. Both agencies faced substantial costs and duplication of equipment to become a PSAP. It was recognized early on that merging the two operations into one communications center could save money.

The Dispatch Advisory Committee created a set of By-laws creating the organization now known as Knox Regional Communications Center. An Executive Board was appointed to set policy and a recommendation to hire a Director as department head for the newly created division was made.

On July 01, 1999 the Rockland Police Department communications center merged with the Knox County Sheriff Dept communications under the newly created organization of Knox RCC. For the first year the operation was based out of the Rockland Police Dept center as it was already designed for two operator positions.

In December of 1999, a Director was hired to head the new department and oversee the remodeling of the Knox facility into a Public Safety Answering Point to meet the state and federal guidelines of a PSAP. Linwood Lothrop was hired as the new Director. His background included 24 years in public safety dispatch including the past 15 years as dispatch supervisor with the Rockland Police Dept.

Knox PSAP Created

The County of Knox had approximately $117,000 in funds set aside for the creation of a dispatch center. An RFP was created for console equipment for four operator positions. This included console furniture, and radio control systems designed to consolidate the operation of up to 10 radio frequencies into an ergonomic operator position. The operator position also had to allow for the incorporation of two CPU processors, monitors, and keyboards.

The existing space within the Knox Law Enforcement Center was gutted and wire runs and new electrical wiring installed.

The end result was four new operator positions utilizing Zeetron furniture and Model 4018 radio control system.

The radio system is fully redundant with backup radios in place for all operating frequencies. Each operator position has a separate Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) for all console mounted peripherals. The radios also have a separate UPS as well as the telephone system and 9-1-1 Enhanced equipment.

A new three point grounding system was installed which called for three 8 ft copper rods to be buried a minimum of 30 inches underground and cad-welded together with #2 copper clad wire. This ground was connected to an office principal ground plane. All utilities and the radio tower are connected to this ground plane. There is also a separate ground connection tied into the ground plane and the water pipe.

The 9-1-1 Enhanced equipment includes new Compaq computers at each workstation, as well as the Answering Position Units (APU) which contain all the telephone line buttons and handset connection.

Each operator position also has a Dictaphone Call check Device Model 5712, which replays the last telephone message at the touch of a button.

Other features of the R.C.C. include individual workstation lighting controls, adjustable footrests, adjustable keyboard trays, lazy susan style bookcase in center of room for sharing common books, new Digitize model 4000 alarm receiving unit, and headset connections for either radio or telephone operation.

The Knox R.C.C. has a staff of eleven ful-ltime and one part-time employees. The list is as follows:

On April 11, 2001 the R.C.C. assumed the emergency dispatching responsibilities of all public safety agencies in Knox County with the exception of the Camden Police Dept, Union Fire Dept, and Washington Fire Dept.

Residents of Knox County will only need to dial 9-1-1 for Police, Fire, or Medical emergencies anywhere in the County.

Training and education is a top priority for the Communications Center. Due to constant changes in policies, procedures, laws, etc. employees attend monthly in-house training sessions.

Dispatchers are certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy as a Terminal Operator. This is a weeklong intensive training program that teaches the operation of the Teletype system and National Crime Information Center computer system.

Dispatchers are also required to be certified Emergency Medical Dispatchers which allow them to give pre-arrival instructions to care for patients prior to the arrival of E.M.S. personnel.
All Dispatchers receive Haz Mat Awareness Level training. This enables them to have a working knowledge of the Emergency Response Guidebook on chemicals. First responders use the guidebook during the initial phase of a dangerous goods/hazardous materials incident.

Due to the close working relationship with the Fire Service, dispatchers are also trained on Incident Command System. This provides the dispatch personnel an overview of fire ground command structure and better enables them to service the needs of the fire service.

A newly hired dispatcher with no previous experience will go through twelve weeks of intense training. Trainees work one on one with a training instructor during this time. Weekly criterion testing is performed to show proficiency. Ride along time is also scheduled with various Public Safety agencies so that the employee also has a better understanding of what public safety personnel face in the field.

A newly created Public Education Unit will be available for presentations on the proper use of 9-1-1. The Unit will have public information booths at the Lobster Festival and Union Fair, as well as be available for speaking engagements in the school system, civic organizations, etc.

Members also are available to teach Fire and EMS agencies proper radio use to include how to activate the mutual aid system. Handout materials, live demonstrations, videos and overhead transparencies enhance the presentations.

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