9-800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System (CCCS) Upgrade

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Kevin Welch
6 years ago
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1 9-800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System (CCCS) Upgrade 1. Program Area: PUBLIC PROTECTION 2. Identify agencies and departments involved. Sheriff-Coroner 3. Is the Strategic Priority new or previously identified in an earlier Strategic Financial Plan; if previously identified, indicate what has changed and why; identify any progress made in reaching the goals/expectations of the previously identified priority; and identify dollar amounts, by major object category, for any funding related to the Strategic Priority that is included in the FY Budget. No change from previously submitted Strategic Priority. 4. Provide a description of the project/program what it is and what it will achieve. Identify how the strategic priority aligns with the mission, values, strategic initiatives and goals of the County and, if applicable, how it relates to the health and/or safety of the community. The Orange County 800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System (CCCS) services the wireless voice communications and interoperability requirements of all County and City Public Safety agencies in Orange County. Since the system is software-driven, active steps will be required to extend the useful service life of the infrastructure and electric equipment to keep pace with technology. Also, as Orange County continues to develop and the system naturally grows, additional capacity for the 800 MHz CCCS may be required to handle increasing radio traffic. Upgrades to both hardware and software will be required to maintain a state-of-the-art system and to extend the life of this valuable infrastructure. To date, the 800 MHz Governance Committee, representing the 800 MHz City/County/OCFA partnership, has recently maximized the capabilities of the current 800 MHz CCCS by: Facilitating coverage solutions in the three remaining areas experiencing 800 MHz radio coverage problems, including Dana Point, Newport Beach and Carbon Canyon, with an anticipated completion date of 2011/2012 for all projects. 800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System (CCCS) 1 of 4 120

2 Approving the implementation of a model in-building ordinance that increases 800 MHz radio coverage in newly built high-density buildings. This ordinance is currently being approved by those cities experiencing new growth. Advising cities to work with the Sheriff s Department/Communications Division in addressing anticipated radio coverage issues in new developments and annexations, with individual entities responsible for funding the proposed radio solutions. The Communications Division is providing preliminary coverage testing in these new areas and assisting with defining the most suitable coverage resolutions. Recently upgrading the 800 MHz CCCS using UASI/Homeland Security/COPS grants funds and Departmental funds in the amount of $6 million to integrate interoperability components with Federal agencies, CHP, and neighboring counties. This upgrade included the addition of two channels, thereby increasing the capacity of the Countywide Cell, which primarily supports the Sheriff s Department and Orange County Fire Authority, including their contract cities. Conducting a comprehensive survey of all system users, including City police departments, fire departments, lifeguard operations, and public works operations, as well as OCFA, County departments, including the largest user, the Sheriff s Department. This input has been used to enhance training efforts, further identify and evaluate coverage issues, and respond to specific equipment issues. These efforts to enhance radio coverage, expand system capability, assure interoperability among critical Federal, State, regional and local public safety organizations, and respond to operator concerns, comprise the first phase of the 800 MHz system upgrade and are intended to maximize utilization of the system as it exists today. As far as future goals, the Division is now focused on the implementation of the FCC 800 MHz Rebanding Plan, development and implementation of additional radio coverage in the Newport Beach coastal areas, and ensuring system life extension towards the year 2015, which is the estimated life of the current 800 MHz CCCS. Rebanding: Orange County is in the fourth wave nationwide, and actual reprogramming of radios is currently undetermined, pending on the completion of the Mexican Treaty Agreement. Rebanding for Orange County may start as early as 2010, and will be funded by Sprint-Nextel. This effort involves the inventory of all system hardware, including over 19,000 pieces of Motorola infrastructure equipment in 24 backbone sites, as well as dispatch equipment in the forty centers and over 20,000 mobiles and portables on the system. The Sheriff s Department/Communications Division has developed a strategic plan for the 800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System (CCCS) 2 of 4 121

3 operational, technical, contractual and financial transition to new frequencies. System Life Extension: As FCC Rebanding is being both facilitated and implemented, OCSD/Communications Division engineering staff will also be looking toward the future. Efforts will be made to work with Motorola as well as the hundreds of public safety entities nationally who also purchased Motorola Version 3.0 systems to enhance the life of these systems. The County has already submitted a placeholder for future 700 MHz band frequencies, which were vacated by UHF television broadcast companies, and now available for public safety use as of February 17, Public Safety Interoperable Communications (PSIC) grant funds will be used to implement 700 MHz repeaters throughout Orange County. Ongoing efforts will continue to upgrade the 800 MHz CCCS to meet current and future user requirements. (700 MHz considerations are provided in the detailed attachment and will be considered as part of the system life extension plan). The 128 public safety/public works organizations on the 800 MHz CCCS will continue to be surveyed to identify both their short- and long-term wireless voice communications requirements. Research of system and product availability will continue. As needed, specifications or a Request for Proposal will be developed to provide 800 MHz CCCS upgrades that will continue to meet current and future user requirements. Newport Beach Coastal Coverage: OCSD/Communications is working with the State Parks on developing an additional 800 MHz radio site that we propose to install at Crystal Cove State Park. This site will provide radio coverage to areas on southern Newport Beach/Northern Laguna Beach that have unacceptable radio coverage today. This will be a lengthy process as we will likely need to go through public hearings and the Coastal Commission. We have the full cooperation of the State Parks and hope to have the site operational in approximately two years. 5. Identify personnel will the program/project require additional staffing? If so, estimate the number of positions by classification. No additional staffing. 6. Identify cost estimate and identify separately one-time (e.g., equipment purchases) and ongoing costs (e.g., maintenance contracts). General funds requested for this project, beginning in FY , are estimated at $600,000 to $1,400,000 per year for ten years for a future system upgrade. The 34 cities, OCFA and OCTA would contribute an estimated $1.4 million a year. Cost increases per year are based on the CPI index for each respective year. 7. Identify potential funding sources (e.g., State, Federal, General Fund, fees) and any possible limitations on those sources. General Fund and Contract Partners 800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System (CCCS) 3 of 4 122

4 Please refer to the attached spreadsheet for funding information. 8. Identify community awareness (stakeholders). All public safety and general government users of the 800 MHz System as well as the residents and visitors of Orange County. 9. Is the program/project mandated or discretionary? The 800 MHz System is critical to providing public safety services to Orange County. 10. Identify the implementation period if funding were available. 10 years 800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System (CCCS) 4 of 4 123

5 800 MHz Countywide Coordinated Communications System Upgrade(CCCS) FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY FY I. Cost Fixed Assets 0 2,044,000 2,115,540 2,189,584 2,266,219 2,345,537 2,427,631 2,512,598 2,600,539 2,691,558 2,785,762 Agency Expense Total 0 2,044,000 2,115,540 2,189,584 2,266,219 2,345,537 2,427,631 2,512,598 2,600,539 2,691,558 2,785,762 II. Non-General Fund Revenue Charges For Services 0 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 Agency Revenue Total 0 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 1,400,000 III. General Fund Requirement 0 644, , , , ,537 1,027,631 1,112,598 1,200,539 1,291,558 1,385,762 IV. Staffing No Positions

2-800 MHz CCCS Sys Extension

2-800 MHz CCCS Sys Extension 1. Program Area: PUBLIC PROTECTION 2. Identify agencies and departments involved. Sheriff-Coroner. 3. Is the Strategic Priority new or previously identified in an earlier Strategic