Idea #112 – Regionalize Public Safety

Report Status: Fully Reviewed

Researched by: Aaron Pikcilingis

Original Idea as Submitted

Regional dispatch

Other ideas included in this report

  • 9 - Regionalize fire suppression services

  • 132 - NEMLEC

  • 133 - Mutual Aid through Mass Metro Fire

  • 251 - Examine Police and Fire services

  • 368 - Leave NEMLEC

Idea intent

Explore opportunities to regionalize public safety services, including 911 dispatch and advanced life support.

Weighted Final Score: N/A

Background Information

This report is incomplete -- the SCIG did not connect with regional dispatch centers to fully understand the arrangements and experiences of member towns and conversations with neighboring communities are ongoing.

For more information about opportunities to regionalize other town services and SCIG recommendations on how to evaluate and maximize opportunities to regionalize services, see report Idea #330: Regionalize Public Services.

Ambulance Services

  • Belmont currently offers Advanced Life Support (ALS) on as part of our local ambulance service. Multiple surrounding communities pay private companies to serve as their advanced life support vendor, so there may be an opportunity to form a collaborative agreement of some kind with one or more neighboring community to share services. The difference in service level offered may complicate the arrangement, but it is still worth continuing conversations on this topic as our multiple neighboring communities have expressed disappointment at the level of service they are getting from their contracted ALS vendors.

    An apparent example of this type of arrangement exists in Groton, whose ALS is provided by neighbors Townsend and Ayer’s fire departments. Though SCIG did not have time to meet with representatives from these towns to confirm the details.

911/Dispatch

  • The State of Massachusetts offers support and grant funding to public safety answering points and regional call centers.

  • SCIG members had multiple conversations with our public safely leaders about the prospect of a regionalized dispatch, and this is a regular topic of conversation among leaders in nearby communities. There are benefits to local knowledge, potential downsides, no straightforward physical facility, and constraints in our current public safety staffing that would make regionalization difficult, but given a willing partner community and potential funding support from the state for the transition, the prospect merits further exploration.

    • The North Shore Regional 911 Center is a good example of this type of arrangement, serving “...as a wireless 911 answering point for over 70 communities in the greater North Shore area, and as the primary answering point and dispatch center for the police and fire departments of Amesbury, Essex, Middleton, Topsfield, and Wenham.”

    • Another example is the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional 911 District, which serves “...the towns of Easton, Norton, Mansfield and Foxborough as a primary PSAP and operations center known as "SEMRECC." SEMRECC further serves as Bristol County Control, responsible for the mutual aid and major incident coordination for the county.”

    • There are multiple other examples of regional 911 dispatch centers in Massachusetts. See Further Reading below for a longer, partial list.

  • Purchasing equipment

    • For more details on regionalized group purchases, see SCIG Evaluation Report: Idea #2 - Group Purchasing

Recommendations

The town should continue to evaluate opportunities to regionalize our 911 dispatch and Advanced Life Support services. This will require additional primary research with communities that currently participate in similar regionalized service arrangements and the regional dispatch centers/districts themselves and the planning and preparation that will allow Belmont to pursue worthwhile opportunities.

Next Steps

  • The Select Board and Fire Chief should connect with representatives from Townsend, Ayer and Groton to learn about the details of Townsend and Ayer providing ALS to Groton.

  • The Select Board and Fire Chief should continue conversations with other communities to explore opportunities to regionalize ALS services.

  • The Select Board, Fire Chief, and Chief of Police should connect with representatives from North Shore Regional 911 Center, the Southeastern Massachusetts Regional 911 District, or any of the other regional dispatch operations in Massachusetts (many listed in Further Reading below) and their member communities to learn more about their arrangement and experiences.

  • The Select Board, Fire Chief, and Chief of Police should continue conversations with other communities to explore the possibility of forming a regional 911 dispatch service.

Further Reading