FARMINGTON – Commissioners tabled action on a contingency plan developed for the Franklin County Regional Communications Center at Tuesday’s meeting, planning to meet later this week to discuss the issue.
Commissioners, meeting via teleconference, on March 31 approved a continuity of operations plan developed by dispatchers. If activated, the plan included having a team of four dispatchers living at the dispatch center full-time for two weeks, then switching out for a new team of dispatchers. Dispatchers said that the plan would protect the center’s limited workforce, which currently includes three trainees, and allow them to continue responding to calls.
Dispatcher Dawn Tolman, who attended the conference call and spoke to different elements of the plan, said that no one was “jumping for joy” to implement the contingency plan.
“We’re just doing this to try and get the citizens served,” Tolman said.
The proposal calls for two dispatchers working a 12-hour shift before switching out for 12 hours. In the case of one or a series of emergencies demanding more help, Tolman said, the other two dispatchers could begin working quickly. Tolman said that one shift would consist of two women while the other would consist of two men.
The center has already implemented a number of changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The building itself is locked down except for essential staff; dispatchers have been doing their own custodial work at the center. As presented at the commissioners’ meeting last week, the contingency plan would be an additional step that would be made if deemed necessary. Franklin County Emergency Management Agency Director Tim Hardy said Monday that his office had been meeting regularly with Franklin Memorial Hospital regarding the virus’ impact on the area.
Hardy noted that the center already had a kitchenette and that dispatchers would sleep in the training room. A private camper with a water heater would be moved to the center to provide shower facilities.
Commissioners Terry Brann of Wilton and Charlie Webster of Farmington raised issues with the plan, including that it would involve men and women sharing living facilities – which they cited as a possible liability issue – and the plan’s associated costs.
Webster also pointed out that similar, ‘shelter-in-place’-style practices were not being planned for the Franklin County Detention Center or for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office staff.
Brann questioned whether keeping dispatchers separate from their families for such long periods of time would have a negative impact.
Commissioner Clyde Barker of Strong was in favor of the plan as proposed and volunteered use of his own trailer and its shower.
County Clerk Julie Magoon said that using a private camper/trailer could present liability issues for the county and instead suggested renting two trailers: one for men and one for women, which would also address the co-habitation issue. The county needed to meet with the dispatchers’ union regarding financial impact, Magoon said, but estimated that the plan would result in an additional total cost of $5,000 to $7,000 per month.
Commissioners agreed to table the plan until their next meeting, possibly later this week, in order to get information regarding the costs of the plan, specifically the impact on employee pay and what it would cost to rent a couple of trailers.
In other business, the Magoon said that the Franklin County Budget Committee would caucus on April 20 at 5:30 p.m. via teleconference. The first meeting would likely be held in May.
Shame on you Terry and Charlie for lack of leadership during a global, national, state, and local crisis. Tabling a contingency plan as you ponder over what it might cost in rentals and overtime seems foolish. These are our front line defenders, key to dispatching our EMS/public safety heros. If it costs $20,000 or more per month but saves lives, then why delay. How about approving the current plan and then do your research and ask for modifications?
Costs associated with protecting the public under a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Maine are reimbursable. Yeah, I know the federal taxes pay for this but whose friends and family will become a sacrifice. Good job Clyde, the common sense guy in the bunch.
I think this is a bad idea, how will they cook, where will food come from, drinks, and other day to day items i dont beleive they will have 2 weeks of no outside interactions.
These are the folks who are serving the public, perhaps we will find that folks being served will step up and offer their campers to assist the county with a response to the dilemma. Resond with a level headed solution rather than emotional reactions. Be kind. Be respectful. Remember critical thinking?
Travis,
To answer to your concern, groceries would be purchased with meal planning in mind. Anything additional that is needed during the “shelter in place” would be picked up by admin and left at the back door.
What this article did not address was the current available staffing at Franklin County RCC. Between line dispatchers and supervisors we have 11 full time employees. Due to having several new trainees and other factors we currently have 5 full time Dispatchers available and 2 Supervisors. Trainees are not permitted to fill open shifts before the proper training and certifications have been completed.
The plan was considered with the concern that employees may have to go out on leave due to illness. If this were to happen, minimum staffing levels may not be able to be met. In normal times a center may be able to rely on other centers to help fill the gaps should a staffing issue like this arise. With the pandemic we are facing, this option is off the table. Every center across the state, and entire nation for that matter, is facing the same crisis.
In a perfect world, in perfect times, there would be time to formulate a perfect plan without holes. We are not in one of those times. Other Dispatch centers across the state are having similar discussions as this. How do we make sure the front line is there when the public needs them?
Regardless of the outcome of this decision the Dispatchers of Franklin County will continue to do everything in their power to provide services to the residents of Franklin County and the outlying areas of coverage.
Dawn,
Who is admin? The doctor from CDC indicates the virus lives on surfaces, I dont beleive staying there will make you any more safe or the county safer, following the CDC guidelines will. If everyone gets sick there are options beyond franklin county, you have MEMA, FEMA and the ability to request resources from the National Guard, keep in mind farmington PD runs the fairgrounds with a laptop and portable radio, maybe you could ask how there able to do that, my scanner at home has much less radio traffic then ever before. I hope what ever decision is made, that is is done with the best interest in the safety of workers, and not made with emotions. Thanks for the additional information
You would think that the obstructionists have enough friends in high places to be able to negotiate temporary donation of a couple of trailers for the sacrifice these people are making in order to provide us with this crucial, live saving task! I’m sure whoever is willing to do that will get a nice tax deduction, that is, if all they are concerned about is money.
Travis,
The Admin would be the Interim Director or her Direct Supervisor. Any supplies needed would be sanitized before coming into the building much like we have been directed to at home. The plan would involve careful meal planning with the hope that no follow up supplies would be needed.
Franklin county EMA has been involved in the discussions and have first hand information on what outside resources may or may not be available.
To answer your question regarding Farmington Pd and fair coverage… Farmington Fair is a small scale operation in a small geographical area that is run with the use of one or few channels. The Dispatch Center manages 18 channels with 30 tones being sent over those channels. All 18 channels are monitored at one time on a console with capabilities that go far beyond the capacity of a portable. Portables also have limited reach so are not a good choice for full county coverage.
You are correct that radio traffic is currently down. Our deepest desire is that it stays that way and that Franklin County glides through this without major impact. However, it would be irresponsible to not er on the side of caution and deal with the “what ifs” before they become reality.
Travis,
“Admin” is common parlance for administration or administrators, also known as those whose job is to watch other people work. If this plan has to be implemented it probably will be all they have left to do.
I sit on the budget comittee, itll be interesting if they internally can afford this on the current budget, it’s great to have a plan for the worse, but right now many Americans are working as hard as ever, and offering discounts and hand ups to those in need. It’s not a great time to be asking for more financially, tax payers can not afford it.
Travis,
> The doctor from CDC indicates the virus lives on surfaces
Surfaces can be sanitized prior to entry, the CDC also talks about how to do this. Plus this exposure is going to happen almost regardless of what plans take place. The plan as suggested reduces the potential for virus exposure to the center staff (and thereby reducing impact to operations) as much as is feasibly possible.
> you have MEMA, FEMA and the ability to request resources from the National Guard
MEMA does not have trained dispatchers on hand to deploy to our center and use our equipment to do our jobs for us. They can program radios to use, sure, but they would still have to come to our center and use our consoles to do so, and without the knowledge of the dispatchers, their are all manner of potential errors that can occur, exposing the county to liability. The same falls for FEMA and/or National Guard – no matter what you request, you cannot escape that it has to be trained and knowledgeable people to man the stations in order to ensure that the public of Franklin County can get the help they need.
> keep in mind farmington PD runs the fairgrounds with a laptop and portable radio, maybe you could ask how there able to do that, my scanner at home has much less radio traffic then ever before
This statement completely misses the entire point of the plan and is a major red herring. State law requires a minimum staffing of 2 dispatchers in Franklin County 24×7, so it matters not how much is going on/not going on, the same level of service still has to be met, and any less exposes the county to liability. Furthermore, coming from someone who has run the very operations you specify here, I can tell you that the setup for the Farmington Fair is unable to coordinate response from multiple agencies and radio channels simultaneously, and can not perform anywhere near the level of function as is necessary to operate up to State requirements (Teletype, Dropping Tones, Backup/Redundant Comms, etc). Perhaps you can educate yourself of how communication operations actually work before attempting to incorrectly inform others.
> I hope what ever decision is made, that is is done with the best interest in the safety of workers, and not made with emotions
Please, tell me what “emotions” are the problem here? The plan as outlined is not just in the best interest of those in dispatch, but MORE importantly, is in the best interest of the county residents. This is not an “emotional” plan – it has been the product of several weeks of brainstorming, speaking with other dispatch centers, and determining how we can ensure the health and safety of all involved. Again, this statement about “emotions” only shows how much of the point you are missing.
Being on the Budget Committee, perhaps there are some other questions you should ask yourself in light of this new information:
Have you thought that perhaps their are resources for this county to receive recompense for any additional overtime costs associated with such a lock-in? This is something that MEMA/FEMA can *actually* help with.
Have you considered that perhaps similar plans should start being considered for the Detention Center? While it is possible to socially distance as a Deputy of Officer, the same cannot be said for the Jail.
Have you considered what liability the county may be exposed to if an employee or inmate was injured or died because reasonable steps were not taken to prevent such outcomes?
Have you considered possible liability costs of not being able to man a legally mandated 911 center at appropriate levels, and members of the public were to get hurt? Or what the cost would be to the county if we have to contract out to another center to answer our calls for us for an extended period of time?
It would be nice if members of the budget committee would actually show some leadership and think of such a plan as an investment in the safety of the community, rather than just an expense with that has no benefit.
As Dawn has said, we will ensure to the best of our ability that the needs of the public continue to be met at the highest levels possible.
Travis I have a sneaking suspicion this isn’t the only budget we will see that has an increase. I predict one coming soon with about $1 million increase. It’s the one that goes up every other year.
Tyler and others supporting spending this money right now. Do any of you realize the current situation regarding the economy ? With so many people out of work and not knowing when we will go back how can we expect to pay more in taxes? How many people will lose their homes during this “crisis” ? The spend spend spend mentality needs to wake up and realize people aren’t made of money.
During the brain storming was the franklin county communications committee involved? What was the guidance they provided?
The budget committee only reviews budgets provided by department heads and recommendations from them and the commisioners, the comittee does not provide “leadership” they have zero control on how to spend money. They only approve line items.
Guess we will see what commissioners decide.
> During the brain storming was the franklin county communications committee involved? What was the guidance they provided?
I do not know how much the Dispatch Advisory Board was involved, but that is not their role anyway. They are not in any position to develop extensive contingency plans for dispatch, that is for dispatch and its administration to do, and as this plan is in place to ensure continued service to those members of public safety, impact on those agencies would be near zero.
> The budget committee only reviews budgets provided by department heads and recommendations from them and the commisioners, the comittee does not provide “leadership” they have zero control on how to spend money. They only approve line items.
If that is the case Travis, I am curious as to why you threw around the fact that you were on the Budget Committee in the first place. Furthermore, your comments about affording this on the current budget seems rather shortsighted as well – their are going to be expenses that come of this, just like any other major disaster. With the declaration of the Stafford Act in Maine, plus the multiple congressional stimulus measures will help to reduce that impact in any event.
And can someone please show me where this $5000 – $7000 a month figure for two campers comes from? If the comissioners are so absolutely abashed by spending any money for disaster response, then perhaps they can either rent campers locally for a lot less, or realize that with just one they can separate men and women on the inside. I wish that people in these articles would actually ask questions in full as opposed to talking without enough understanding to make accurate statements.
To answer your curiosity on why I said I was on the budget comittee, its because there was no line to pay for such an expense, but i do enjoy politics, it’s ok to disagree on items that’s why America is the best country in the world.That is part of democracy.
Like I said before the commissioners will decide, and if the figures in the article are wrong I hope the correct information is put out to those voting on it, and a post from the admin shows the correct information for us viewers to see.
I find all of this so entertaining. Ground level employees making administrative decisions… That’s Franklin county for you. Starts right at the top. This lockdown of employees ridiculous. Is this Tyler or Dawn the communication director? I thought Amanda S. Was interim director according to Bulldog? Why has she not been doing the “administration duties? Like speaking on behalf of the center and being the only point of contact to the commissioners? Unfortunately this is how organizations fail. Lack of leadership.
Franklinfinest,
> Ground level employees making administrative decisions… That’s Franklin county for you.
Perhaps if you had read prior articles on this you would have been fully informed that this plan has been developed by everyone inside the center, including with the center’s command structure. Saying that this was anything else is at best a misunderstanding, and at worst a deliberate falsehood, neither of which speaks well of your point.
> This lockdown of employees ridiculous.
Let me work the math for you – employees come to work at the center every 2 or 3 days. On a normal weekday, there can be upwards of 7 to 9 people in the center, including trainees and admin. If someone contracts the virus, and does not develop symptoms immediately, those 7 to 9 employees are exposed 2 to 3 times before an already infected employee goes out on days off or develops symptoms. That brings our available staffing to critical levels, and leaves no margin for error should another employee become infected.
Contrast this with a lockdown where 4 employees are on the inside the center, quarantined from everything. If one of them is sick, then at worst those 4 alone are infected, exposing no one else for the length of time necessary to have to virus run its course. When it comes time for shift swap, the 4 incoming and 4 outgoing dispatchers have zero contact with each other. Overall, exposure and liability is much lower with the plan as proposed than nothing at all. Meanwhile, the virus gets closer and closer to home.
> I thought Amanda S. Was interim director according to Bulldog? Why has she not been doing the “administration duties? Like speaking on behalf of the center and being the only point of contact to the commissioners?
She has been a point of contact, but in a display of wisdom, the comissioners office had a line dispatcher involved in the official discussion during the conference call meeting. EMA Director Tim Hardy is also part of the Center’s command structure, and has also been directly involved in the entire process.
> Unfortunately this is how organizations fail. Lack of leadership.
It would seem to me that the lack of leadership is not coming from within the center, as we have been trying to develop a plan to ensure continued service in the event of an outbreak. I believe it is worth examining where the actual lack of leadership lies.