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Learning to Communicate: Communications Preparedness with Colleges and Universities

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Title: Learning to Communicate: Communications Preparedness with Colleges and Universities


1
Learning to Communicate Communications
Preparedness with Colleges and Universities
2
  • Moderator
  • Constance McGeorge, Commonwealth Interoperability
    Coordinator
  • Panelists
  • Beth Simonds, University of Richmond
  • Michael Coleman, University of Virginia
  • Garth Wheeler, J. Sergeant Reynolds Community
    College

3
Emergency Communications at University of Richmond
  • Presented by
  • Beth A. Simonds, Police Captain
  • University of Richmond Police Dept.

4
  • University Background
  • Private, 350 acre, suburban, liberal arts college
    located in Central Virginia
  • Located in 2 jurisdictions County of Henrico and
    City of Richmond
  • 3000 Undergrad Students living on campus, faculty
    staff, law school, School of Continuing Studies
  • 9000 seat basketball arena are constructing
    8500 seat football stadium

5
  • University Police Department
  • CALEA Accredited Law Enforcement Agency since
    1990 reaccredited for the fifth time in November
    2006
  • 33 employees 19 sworn officers
  • 24/7 Communications Center
  • Answer 911 calls to campus for police, fire
    rescue
  • Operate on 800 Regional Radio System
    communicate with Richmond Henrico
  • Access to NCIC/VCIN LInX

6
  • Other Campus Communications
  • UR Alert to send emergency messages via voice,
    text, and e-mail to faculty, staff, and students.
    (Connect-ed Emergency Notification System)
  • Satellite Telephones
  • Radio Station
  • Television Channel 16
  • Tornado Siren System
  • Emergency Alert webpage http//alert.richmond.edu
    /

7
  • Other Communications Cont.
  • Blast e-mail to __at_richmond.edu accounts
  • Communication thru Resident Assistants and Area
    Coordinators
  • UR Emergency Hotline (804)289-8760 or toll free
    at (866) 386-0403
  • Telephone Intercom System in all classrooms

8
  • Current Challenges
  • Requesting fleet mapping changes to create
    talk-groups with Richmond, Henrico and U of R
  • Some coverage issues in buildings
  • Being a user is more time consuming
    bureaucratic when radio problems occur.
  • Cannot communicate by radio with State Police
  • Do not have written mutual aid agreements with
    other responding agencies

9
  • Story
  • May 6, 2008 Gunman Incident on University of
    Richmond campus

10
Albemarle-Charlottesville-UVARegional Radio
System
  • Planning and Development
  • Of the 800 MHz System
  • Michael A. Coleman
  • Captain
  • University of Virginia Police Department

11
UVA Football
  • 120 personnel
  • 10 police agencies plus fire and rescue
  • Crowds of 60,000 people
  • Under the scrutiny of up to 25 real time media
    reports

12
Communications Handled Through
  • Incident Command
  • AND
  • A Regional 800 MHz Radio System

13
Regional System Created Because
  • 3 jurisdictions plus fire and rescue had aging
    radio systems
  • Region needed to communicate together because
    they interacted on a regular basis
  • System was expensive so the jurisdictions could
    share the costs

14
Before You Issue an RFP
  • Talk to People Who Have What You Want
  • Review the Literature
  • Get Professional Help
  • Determine Your Partners

15
Fate Strikes
  • State notified the region of a possible federal
    grant
  • Chief Werner applied for the federal grant based
    on information from regional meetings
  • Grant was approved to fund the infrastructure for
    the system

16
Jurisdictions Paid Their Way
  • Portable radios at 3,500 each
    (100 X 3,500350,000)
  • Vehicle radios
  • Radios for Services Sections of agencies
  • Microphones
  • Earpieces
  • Belt Holders
  • Installation

17
Fleet Mapping
18
Fleet Mapping
  • 16 Positions (Talk Groups) to each Zone
  • 20 Zones
  • First 3 Zones used to show most used talkgroups
  • Talkgroups include talk-arounds, NIMs channels,
    and regional talkgroups like blue, green

19
You Have to Assign Functionsto the Radio
20
Vehicle Installation
21
Towers were located in 5 locations in different
parts of the county
22
Delays
  • Lawsuits
  • Environmental Issues
  • Building Damaged
  • Work Delays

23
95 Coverage Was Verified
  • Some areas are shadowed by mountains or buildings
  • Buildings with lots of concrete and metal do not
    receive on the interior

24
Results
  • System Works Well
  • Each Agency Uses Its Own Talkgroups
  • We Can Switch to Talk to Other Agencies
  • We Have Regional Talk Groups for Large Events
  • NIMs Talkgroups Are Available
  • Convertible Boxes Are Available to Coordinate
    with Radios from Other Areas in an Emergency

25
Next
  • Mobile Data Computers

26
Emergency PreparednessLearning To Communicate
  • Chief Garth Wheeler
  • J. Sargeant Reynolds Community
  • August 4, 2008

27
College History Demographics
  • J. Sargeant Reynolds established in 1972
  • Grown to 3rd largest community college with over
    18,000 credit students.
  • 3 campuses each representing the community it
    serves urban, suburban rural.
  • In 2005 J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
    established their police department.
  • This included establishing effective
    communications between the 3 campuses thru a
    central dispatch center.
  • Prior to 2005, each campus operated independently
    with no central emergency number.

28
Progress In Emergency Communications
  • Funding sources came from college budget and
    Homeland Security grant.
  • Approximate cost for current radio communications
    system is 80,000.
  • Does not include the computerized case
    tracking/IBR system.
  • Worked with VITA to obtain the necessary radio
    system upgrades.
  • Radio system includes 4 frequencies 2 police
    frequencies and 2 facilities frequencies.
  • Even with improvements our communications system
    is at a very basic operational capability

29
Current Challenges
  • Effective communications for college personnel,
    including police, security and facilities.
  • Radio communications with other public safety
    agencies non-existent.
  • 800 MHz system currently not within budgetary
    grasps.
  • Exploring other alternatives to include
  • SIRS
  • State Police frequency
  • STARS
  • Partnering with local jurisdiction
  • 2 storiesRCC Mock Drill Bomb Threat at college

30
Current Challenges con.-
  • 3 jurisdictions to coordinate with during
    emergencies
  • Henrico, Richmond, Goochland
  • 5 L.E. agencies to coordinate with during times
    of crisis
  • Richmond, Henrico, Goochland, State Police
  • Implementation of new college wide mass
    notification system.
  • Mutual Aid agreement issues.

31
Determining Operational Effectiveness
  • Training
  • Mock Drills
  • RCC multi-jurisdictional exercise (spring,08)
  • Proposed mock drill at Western Campus
  • Post Incident Reviews
  • JSR Bomb threat/potential shooter (winter, 08)

32
Questions?
33
Thank You!Please visit www.interoperability.virg
inia.gov for more information on Virginias
Interoperability Effort, as well as registration
for the 2008 Virginia Interoperable
Communications Conference!
34
  • Contact Information
  • Beth Simonds
  • University of Richmond
  • 804-289-8722 bsimonds_at_richmond.edu
  • Michael A. Coleman
  • University of Virginia
  • 434-924-8835 mac2e_at_virginia.edu
  • Garth Wheeler
  • J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
  • 804-523-5239 gwheeler_at_reynolds.edu
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