Resolution 7235 - Laserfiche WebLink

El/F/?ETT RESOLUTION NO. 72 3 5 A RESOLUTION of the Everett City Council, supporting funding of a new countywide 911 emergency radio system. WHEREAS,public safety depends on having reliable and effective emergency 911 radio communications; and WHEREAS, the Snohomish County Emergency Radio System (SERS), has provided a dependable countywide emergency radio service since 1999 that enables our first responders to effectively respond to 911 emergency calls in our area; and WHEREAS, SERS has two decades of technical expertise in developing, acquiring. installing, operating, maintaining, and managing the countywide emergency radio system; and WHEREAS, the SERS existing analog, 800 MHz radio system is now outdated and about to reach its end-of-life. When that happens in 2020 and the existing system can no longer be sustained, it will become increasingly difficult and eventually impossible to maintain reliable radio communications between 911 dispatchers and our first responders; and WHEREAS, independent expert analysis by a national consultant has determined that a new replacement P-25 radio system using modern digital technology will substantially reduce risk of future radio system failure and provide better audio voice quality for simulcast,two-way, interoperable emergency communications; and WHEREAS, other counties of similar size in our state have already taken action to fund and replace their outdated 800 MHz radio system with a new P-25 digital radio system; and WHEREAS, SERS is engaged with Snohomish County in a competitive bidding procurement process to select a qualified vendor to provide new countywide 911 radio system equipment and services; and WHEREAS, equitable countywide funding for a new radio system must be authorized and secured to finance a new radio system that has a potential cost preliminarily estimated at$60 to $75 million. NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EVERETT that we support taking necessary actions as soon as possible to replace the outdated SERS emergency radio system.We respectfully urge that Snohomish County elected officials approve the resources necessary to purchase, design, and install a new, digital, countywide, P-25 911 emergency radio system. The City of Everett supports the County taking actions necessary to authorize a dedicated countywide equitable funding source for the new emergency 911 radio system. In the interest of government efficiency, the City of Everett further encourages the Boards of Snohomish County 911 and SERS to merge as soon as possible into a single entity.