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CR 98-140 Expenidture of Funds To Implement Geographic 9-1-1 MappingAugust 26,1998 Proposed Action Staff recommends approval of the following motion: Move that tie council approve expenditure of fundsto implement Geographi 9 -1 -1 Mapping, Overview Council Report 98-140 o P ; EXPENDITURE OF FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT GEOGRAPHIC 94 -1 MAPPING The Hopkins Police Department has been working with the State of Minnesota and independent wireless phone carriers to have wireless 9 -1 -1 calls routed directly to the Hopkins Public Safety Communication Centex. This is in response to recent legislation that makes it possible for cellular 9 -1 -1 calls, previously routed directly to the Minnesota State Patrol, to be routed to individual cities. The "problem" with wireless 9 -14 calls is that, unlike wired 9 -1 -1 calls; no location information is transmitted to the dispatcher. • You may recall the story of Karen Nelson, the South Dakota woman whose pickup slid into a ditch during a snowstorm last year and she called for help on her cellular phone. Rescuerstook 40 hours to locate her. • A Sheriffs department received a 9 -1 -1 call from a disabled man whose specially equipped van was stuck on railroad tracks. Being lost in the first place, the man had no idea where he was, or what tracks he was on. The call went on for some time while authorities tried to figure out where he was. Eventually, the man reported that a train was approaching. The next 9 -1 -1 call the dispatcher received was from the engineer of the train that hit the. van. To address this issue, the FCC passed a 2 -phase Order to require cellular carriers to provide location information for all wireless 9 -1 -1 calls by April 1, 1998. • "Phase 1 Wireless E91 1 " requires that the carrier provide the cell site and/or sector through which the 9 -1 w1 call has been initiated, and a 10 digit call back number of the wireless phone that initiated the call. • "base 11 Wireless E91 1 " will take effect in October 2001. This will require cellular carriers to provide the location of the calling party to within 125 meters (41 o feet), Minnesota is in the process of implementing Phase 1 at this time. The location data is provided in a text -only display that shows the tower location, Compass azimuth, RF coverage direction and a cell site "address ". Hopkins has received a proposal from GeoComm, Inc. for sofware that works with ArcView (the city's existing GIS) to capture wireless call location data directly from our 9 -1 -1 controller and translate the cell sector `footprint" to a geographic map at the dispatcher's console. Instead of reading a text display, the dispatcher would view a map of Hopkins with the cell sector footprint superimposed. In other words, this system takes sometimes -conf using words on a data screen and turns them into a picture for the dispatcher. This "picture is worth a thousand words" approach simplifies the direction of search efforts, if necessary, and the maps and data can be saved for later use (statistics, etc.) Prinaary Issues to Consider: • What does the System cost? What additional benefits do we gain by implementing this now? Heather M. Alex, Administrative Services Manager PRIMARY ISSUEES, TO CONSIDER 1 . WHAT DOES THE SYSTEM COST? GeoComim's proposal offers the software and engineering time for data conversion to us at a discounted price of $5000,00, complete, including installation. Full price of the system is $15,650. This offer is good until September 4, 1998. The vendor is offering us substantial savings because it will be the first "live" system statewide and would be made available for demonstration purposes to other cities interested in implementing G-91 1. 2. WHAT ADDITIONAL BENEFITS DO WE GAIN 13Y IMPLEMENTING THIS NOW? Hopkins would be the first 9 -1 -1 center in the state to have this technology and would be working with an industry leader to implement, improve and perfect it. • Future savings will be a factor, because as a Geo -Cell customer We get Phase 1 I compatibility at no additional cost. This means that when Phase 11 arrives we will be able to plot an icon on a map to depict the wireless 911 caller's actual location. A.TERNATIVES 1 . A'i EMPT TO DEVELOP A MAP SYSTEM IN-HOUSE Hopkins could obtain a text listing of all location data for all relevant cell sites serving the city and post the list on the wall in the dispatch center. This list could even include such wording as' Pseudo -AM 612.111.1004 covers the SW 120 degree azimuth from cell tower located at Hvvy 169 and Hvvy 7. " We could takke . that information and either hand draw maps using color coding, or even take the time to build our own GIS maps. Even if We had the time, this still would not give us the ability to automatically depict these maps upon answering the wireless E911 call. 2. DECIDE NOT TO IMPLEMENT G -911 MAPPING AT THIS TIME Elect to receive only the text location data on wireless calls received at the Hopkins 9 -1 -1 Center. This alternative, which is the status quo, means the dispatcher receives the text version of the location data only. Without the map, dispatchers have the location of the cell tower but NOT the designated area of the footprint. This is not as critical an issue for Phase I, but when Phase 11 allows cities with mapping systems to pinpoint a caller's exact location, we would be at a disadvantage without that capability. 3. IMPLEMENT G-911 MAPPING UNDER THIS PROPOSAL By accepting this proposal, Hopkins responds proactively to wireless 9 -1 -1 location technology. Although this system will not, at this time, pinpoint a caller's exact location, it gives the dispatcher a better chance to direct search and response efforts in the right direction. By taking advantage of this developing technology we gain increased capabilities for the future at a reduced cost RE COMMEN DA TI ON Staff recommends Alternative 3.