Agenda - 11-17-2011 - 1 - Attachment 3

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ORANGE CbUNTY, I~bRTH CAROLINA COORDINATION OF RESOURCES Fire, rescue, and emergency services personnel coordinate resources informally and formally. A systematic process for ensuring coordination has not been established. EMS RESPONSE DELAYS It appears that resources may be inadequate during peak activity periods. The lack of quality centralized data reporting makes it very difficult to define the delay levels. However, response delays are reported by personnel throughout the response system. CALL PC2OCESSING DELAYS Call processing time in the Emergency 911 center was widely reported as excessive. The lack of data collection within the computer assisted dispatch system did not allow the consultant to quantify this problem. However, excessive call processing time was reported by personnel at all levels of the emergency response system. VIPER RADIO LIMrrATIONS The VIPER radio system is an essential element of Orange County's emergency services system. The radio system's configuration has limitations. Several volunteer fire agencies report "dead spots" where radio reception and transmissions are not possible. The VIPER radio system uses the 800 MHZ band. Radio frequencies in the 800 MHZ band width do not penetrate buildings effectively. Building penetration refers to the reception and transmission from handheld radios operating within buildings. Dead spots and poor building penetration place responders at risk when operating under emergency conditions. CONTRACTS AND FkANCHISE AGREEMENTS In general terms, Orange County is responsible for providing fire suppression services throughout the unincorporated areas of the County. The County enters into agreements with volunteer fire departments to fulfill this responsibility. The agreements do not include provisions requiring data collection and performance measures. ~} MMA CbNSULTING GkOUP,1NC. 78