Earlier this year, officials selected Tyler Technologies to provide the new computer-aided dispatch and records management system for the dispatch center. While the current CAD system is still operational, there is no way to repair the old system if it breaks down.
Nave said officials are still in contract negotiations with Tyler Technologies on the price of the new system. Nave said he expected the system to be installed and operational within 18 to 24 months.
When the system is ready, it will immediately provide more information to firefighters and law enforcement officers than before through the mobile data terminals in patrol and fire vehicles, Nave said.
"It's going to be an information overload for first responders," he said last week.
The system will improve officer safety when they are going to calls by immediately sending information about previous calls for service to that residence, Nave said. That information is now only provided to officers and deputies over the radio — something that's not always possible if dispatchers are tied up with other calls.
"The CAD system will communicate with the MED system flawlessly," Nave said. The system will also help officers and responders better locate apartments by giving dispatchers an exact location of the apartment a call is coming from, he said.
Officers and firefighters "are going to have floor plans" sent to their MDTs, Nave said. On calls to businesses, the system will also provide a list of key-holders, if that information is available.
Nave said the fire department does surveys of businesses and collects information for fire response, such as whether a business houses hazardous chemicals. When the new system is online, information about chemicals and other hazards will be sent to firefighters and responders through their MDTs.
Hydrant information will also be updated so firefighters can be routed by MDT to the nearest hydrant, Nave said.
When an officer checks a driver's license, the new system will send a photo of the driver to the MDT so the officer can check if the driver is using a fake license, Nave said. Officers will also be able to immediately enter all of a person's driver's license information into the system by scanning the bar code on the back of a license.
"The other thing we are looking at is streamlining the officers' workload," Nave said.
Information that officers put into their MDTs will go into the entire CAD system, making it available to others a short time later, Nave said.
"The ultimate goal is to improve services for the community and speed up response time," he said.
James Mayse, 270-691-7303, jmayse@messenger-inquirer.com, Twitter: @JamesMayse
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