A private-public partnership has resulted in a state-of-the-art 911 emergency communications center for the cities of Johns Creek and Sandy Springs.

 

“It is the latest technology in terms of computer aided dispatch system,” said John Kachmar, Johns Creek city manager and chairman of the Chattahoochee River 911 Authority, which created the center in cooperation with iXP Corp, a public safety communications consulting firm. “It links call takers and dispatchers with police, fire and emergency medical services personnel in the field.”

 

Launched on August 31, the $5.6 million facility called Chatcomm, is the largest 911 public-private partnership in the U.S.

 

Cranbury, N.J.,-based iXP designed, implemented and staffed the 16,000-square-foot center located in Sandy Springs and will mange its operations under a performance-based contract overseen by the authority. Chatcomm provides the 911 services that Fulton County previously provided Johns Creek and Sandy Springs.

 

“We were dissatisfied and so was Sandy Springs with the service from Fulton County,” Kachmar said. “We decided to form our own system in partnership with Sandy Springs because it was cost effective.”

 

The $33.5 million, five-year contract requires 911 calls be answered within 10 seconds, 90 percent of the time and processed and ready for dispatch within 60 seconds 90 percent of the time. Chatcomm will service more than 170,000 residents and 8,000 businesses and is expected to handle 325,000 emergency calls, resulting in 275,000 emergency incidents during the center’s first year of operation.

 

A strongly-worded performance contract will hold the private company accountable, according to Kachmar. “This contract locks them into the 90 percentile for performance,” he said. “There are cash penalties for lack of performance.”

 

The center technology allows center and field personnel to see the location of the caller and any previous incidents at that location. “It’s not infallible, but it is a pretty good system for determining someone’s location,” Kachmar said. With all emergency and public safety vehicles equipped with Automatic Vehicle Location devices the center can dispatch the closest available vehicle to the incident.

 

Kachmar said Johns Creek and Sandy Springs residents and workers can expect more efficient and faster 911 service with Chatcomm.

 

“The level of performance is much better, and we have a tactical committee that includes the fire and police chiefs from both cities,” Kachmar said. “The committee will provide technical advice and the chiefs have a direct say in how the center operates. We never had that kind of relationship with Fulton County.”

 

While both cities had to provide funding to capitalize the project – Johns Creek $1 million and Sandy Springs $2.5 million – no general funds will be used to operate the center. The 56 full-time center staff, technology and facility will be solely funded from 911 revenues, which will also be used to reimburse the two cities for their initial investment.