HomeMy WebLinkAboutESD-013-11 Clarbgton REPORT
EMERGENCY AND FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT
Meeting: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE
Date: September 12, 2011 Resolution#: -5 ~11 By-law#:
Report#: ESD-013-11 File#:
Subject: "NextGen" — Next Generation Common Communication Platform
RECOMMENDATIONS:
It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee
recommend to Council the following:
1. THAT Report ESD-013-11 be received for information;
2. THAT staff continue to support the NextGen - Next Generation Common
Communication Platform project.
3. THAT Council authorize the Clerk and Mayor to sign an agreement committing
Clarington to the Next Generation Common Communication Platform project.
4. THAT all interested parties listed in Report ESD-013-11 be advised of Council's
decision.
Submitted by:lGrd �..� Reviewed by:
ir F anklin Wu,
Director Emergency & Chief Administrative Officer
Fire Services
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CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON
40 TEMPERANCE STREET, BOWMANVILLE, ONTARIO L1C 3A6 T 905-623-3379
REPORT NO.: ESD-013-11 PAGE 2
1.0 BACKGROUND
1.1 In September 2009, Deputy Chief Mercier of Durham Regional Police Services,
with the support of the Regional Fire Services Coordinator, engaged the Chief
Administrative Officers of the Region and each Municipality regarding the potential
of procuring one radio system that meets the needs of all first responders. It was
apparent and agreed to by all, that the idea of one radio system that meets the
needs of the various stakeholders would greatly enhance interoperability and
safety.
1.2 The CAD's agreed in principle and a Report (2009-A-47) was constructed for
Regional Council for their consideration on November 4, 2009. Regional Council
agreed in principle to the following items:
1. To further study a potential shared communication platform as outlined in
Report 2009-A-47 from the Regional Chief Administrative Officer;
2. To support staff involvement on the appropriate groups as detailed in the
proposed structure;
3. With the Halton Model of capital infrastructure funding, whereby such costs
are funded by the Durham Regional Police Service and the Regional
Municipality of Durham;
4. To request that staff provide, at the appropriate time, detailed project
recommendations with associated cost estimates for the consideration of
Council;
5. To provide, along with other partners to the project, it's appropriate share of
funding costs associated with the Project Manager, support staff and
consultant services.
1.3 To facilitate the design and procurement of a single regional radio system, a team
of senior officers and first responders, in concert with a project management team
and technical consultant have been working under the project banner— "NextGen".
Significant amounts of preparation and planning have been on-going at the
Regional level with input from each of the eight (8) Municipalities in the Region.
Current,Radio Systems
1.4 Currently there are three (3) distinct radio systems being used by Police Services
and Fire Services in Durham Region. Durham Region Police Service (DRPS) and
Ontario Power Generation (OPG) function on a public network provided by Telus.
That system is operated under a contract that is set to expire in 2014 and will not
be viable after this date as the network will be obsolete and is not being replaced
by Telus. Fire Services have two distinct networks; the Municipalities of Ajax,
Clarington, Oshawa, Pickering and Whitby function on a public safety grade private
REPORT NO.: ESD-013-11 PAGE 3
network and Brock, Scugog and Uxbridge Townships function on a public network
by Bell Mobility Radio. The two (2) fire systems have no interoperability and there
is capacity for very limited interoperability between the DRPS system and the
southern Fire Services radio system that is currently unavailable due to difficulty in
sourcing replacement parts for the Telus system.
1.5 The Fire Service networks will require significant investments in technology and
infrastructure in 2014 to remain viable. It has been determined through a joint
committee of senior officers that the timing of the three (3) systems renewal will
allow for a single platform to meet the needs of the public safety users in a fiscally
and operationally sustainable manner.
1.6 It must be noted that Durham EMS will not be joining the "NextGen"
communications platform as they work on a provincially mandated radio system
used by the Ministry of Health.
2.0 DISCUSSION
2.1 In Report 2011-A-25, the Region of Durham identifies their funding of all costs for
the infrastructure of the "NextGen" radio platform and user gear specifically for the
DRPS and Regional Departments to be between $25 to $40 million dollars.
Although the Region will be responsible for infrastructure costs, each
Municipality will be required to fund the user gear (i.e. portables, mobiles, station
alerting, dispatch consoles, voice logging etc.) for the use of their individual Fire
Services through their individual capital budgets. Capital expenditures for user
gear will be brought forth through our regular annual budget process for Council's
consideration.
2.2 This is an important project that will see true radio interoperability that does not
currently exist in our present systems. The creation of a single radio system was
attempted without success in the late 90's due to technological issues. Those
issues do not exist in today's world and we have a window of opportunity to
procure a system and user gear that meets all of our needs for the next 15 years.
The ability to share operating and management costs will ensure the costs are
borne throughout the Region by many partners reducing the pressure on the
operating budgets of both the Region and local Municipalities.
2.3 Durham Region has an expectation that all parties involved in the project will
commit to the ongoing involvement and costing. Once costing and details are
finalized a subsequent report will be brought to Council for approval.
REPORT NO.: ESD-013-11 PAGE 4
2.4 This process is being repeated throughout the GTA on other projects similar in
nature with great success and cooperation, meeting the needs of all participants.
A benefit of moving to a system like this will see the ability of first responders to
communicate amongst each other not only in Durham Region but throughout the
GTA.
3.0 FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
3.1 The Municipality of Clarington avoids all radio system infrastructure acquisition
costs.
3.2 User gear costs will be the responsibility of the Municipality of Clarington. The
procurement process the Region is undertaking will provide more definitive costing
for user gear. Staff will ensure costs are included in future Capital budgets.
3.3 Clarington's current share of the annual operating costs for the shared Fire system
is approximately $100,000. It is anticipated by moving to the "NextGen" platform
Clarington's annual radio system operating costs will drop. The exact amount is
yet to be determined.
3.4 The new radio system will be a digital product. The current paging system is a VHF
analog product. The compatibility of a digital radio system and the VHF analog
paging network is uncertain. Therefore, any associated costs to maintaining the
paging system is unknown at this time. Staff will ensure costs are included in
future Capital budgets.
3.5 Moving to a new radio system will require components of the old radio system be
removed. The costs and responsibility to remove radio tower equipment, console
equipment, station equipment and vehicle mounted equipment is uncertain. Staff
will ensure costs are included in future Capital budgets.
4.0 ONGOING COMMUNICATIONS
4.1 All communications regarding this significant project are being prepared through
the "NextGen" project management team and will be provided to each of the
Municipalities designated media contact.
5.0 CONCURRENCE —This report has been reviewed for recommendation by the
appropriate departments and circulated as follows:
Concurrence: Director of Finance.
Purchasing Manager
REPORT NO.: ESD-013-11 PAGE 5
6.0 CONCLUSION
6.1 The "NEXTGEN" project aims to implement a "best fit," region-wide, integrated, and
interoperable voice communication system that will meet the requirements of
Public Safety agencies while achieving cost efficiencies in terms of the number of
stakeholders sharing the same radio system platform. This approach will also
make major inroads in facilitating interoperability between first responder
stakeholder groups at the regional level and beyond, and potentially with other
municipal and regional public service organizations within Durham. The creation
of a region-wide, interoperable voice communication system will ultimately help all
stakeholders in the region to better serve the community.
CONFORMITY WITH STRATEGIC PLAN — Not Applicable
Staff Contact: Mark Berney, Deputy Fire Chief
List of interested parties to be advised of Council's decision:
Dave Wrather Project Manager, "NextGen" Project Management Team