Agenda - 03-02-2006-5g - Laserfiche WebLink

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Further, the system has a mass call feature where it may access an off-site call center that can be used to make thousands of telephone calls simultaneously, allowing for the rapid notification of all known telephone numbers in the entire County, This would be extremely effective if an evacuation was necessary ar some other immediate notification required. The system has the capability of notifying a particular area defined by the emergency management user, For example, if there was a hazardous materials spill, the individual activating the system would be able to draw a warning area on the system's map and it would call all known telephone numbers within that area with a message, such as to shelter in place, The system may also be setup to notify emergency services staff of activations of the Emergency Operations Center, emergency callbacks for disaster response. The Department on Aging could possibly use the system for day-to-day activities such as "well being" checks on the Department on Aging's frail and elderly populations. Therefore, this system would not only be utilized during times of emergency, but day to day as well, which will allow those that use the system to remain familiar with its operation, Numerous jurisdictions within North Carolina have implemented systems such as this with great success, Wake County Emergency Management, for example, has used this system repeatedly during Emergency Operation Center activations, and emergency training exercises for the Shearon Harris Nuclear Power Plant. New Hanover County has used this system to assist with evacuation orders and other issues during hurricane response, The grant is due March 3, 2006 and staff expects to receive a response by May 2006. The grant, if awarded, is a one-year grant. While matching funds are not required for this grant, the guidance explains that those entities that contribute funding to the initial implementation of the project are mare likely to receive funding than those that do nat. Further, since this is a one-time grant with aone-year project period, no ongoing costs are funded, FINANCIAL IMPACT: The anticipated cost of the initial capital outlay for the system totals $51, 450, The grant would cover $41,450 of the costs with the County matching the remaining cost of $10,000. Should the Board authorize submission of the grant application, staff recommends that the County match of $10,000 be included in the upcoming 2006-16 County Capital Investment Plan (CIP). In addition to the initial capital investment cast of $51,450, there will be ongoing operating costs attributed to the notification system. Staff anticipates these costs to range between $13,000 and $17,000 per year beginning in fiscal year 2006-07. Examples of the on-going operating costs include 24-hour technical support by the vendor, system and software upgrades, and monthly charges for 10 telephone lines (estimated at $25 per line, per month), The following chart displays the startup and ongoing costs associated with the sustainability of this project. Year Cost 1 $13,000_ --...._,_,_,_ 2 $15,000 3 $15,000 4 $16,500