Eastern Shore
of Virginia
9-1-1 Communications Center
23201 Front Street, PO Box 337, Accomac , Virginia
23301-0337
Jim Seymour Recognized by 9-1-1 Commission
The Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1
Commission, on behalf of the Eastern Shore’s public safety community, recognized
and honored Motorola Radio Technician Jim Seymour of Painter for his years of
outstanding service and support of public safety communications at the
Commission’s monthly meeting on Thursday, January 26, in Accomac. 9-1-1 Center Director Jeff Flournoy, 9-1-1
Consultant Scott Chandler, and Delmarva Two-Way Radio President Milt Warren
spoke of Jim’s continued dedication and support to public safety and his
special contributions to support the local public safety radio systems. In addition to the Commission and staff,
Jim’s wife, Patti, and Milt’s wife, Gerri, also attended.
Commission Chairman Donald E. Kellam, Jr., presented a plaque with the following
resolution to Seymour following its reading by Flournoy.
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Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1
Commission Resolution of Appreciation WHEREAS, following his honorable
service in the United States Marine Corps, James “Jim” Seymour was employed as a Field Technical
Representative for Motorola Communications and Electronics, Inc., in the
Baltimore region, and WHEREAS, Jim Seymour purchased the assets of a locally assigned Motorola
Service Shop in 1979, established Sey-Comm Service
Company, and provided Motorola-supported radio communications sales and
service to industry, businesses, governmental agencies, volunteer fire
companies, and volunteer rescue squads in Accomack and Northampton Counties
until his retirement in the early 2000’s, and WHEREAS, his dedicated and expert
installation, repair, and maintenance services to the Accomack and
Northampton County Sheriff’s Offices, the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1
Commission, local police departments, volunteer fire companies, volunteer
rescue squads, and governmental public safety agencies contributed to the
safety and security of public safety personnel and assured effective and
efficient communications to support police, fire, and EMS response to the
citizens and visitors of Virginia’s Eastern Shore, and WHEREAS, as a partner in Delmarva
Communications Partnership, Jim has coordinated and provided value-added
communications infrastructure assets to benefit public safety communications,
and WHEREAS, his sharing of knowledge and
his leadership skills have benefitted the Eastern Shore’s public safety
communications system through assisting and
training public safety personnel in radio communications system
design, management, and support, and WHEREAS, subsequent to his retirement,
Jim has provided continual and valuable support, assistance, and consultation
on numerous radio communications issues to the Eastern Shore of Virginia
9-1-1 Commission in support of public safety communications, NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Eastern Shore of
Virginia 9-1-1 Commission expresses its appreciation to Jim Seymour for his
dedicated service as a Motorola radio technician and for his exemplary
contributions in support of public safety communications. FURTHERMORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that a copy of this
resolution be recorded in the Commission’s minutes, that a copy be presented to Jim Seymour, and that this resolution be
shared with his professional colleagues and with the public safety community
to which Jim so ably provided his knowledge, skills, and abilities. Resolved
this 26th day of January, 2012. s/ Donald E. Kellam, Jr., Chairman |
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NAPSCOM Project Report Presented January
17 By RCC Consultants
During December and early January,
information regarding the NAPSCOM Project (Northampton-Accomack
Public-Safety Communications) was provided to Fire, EMS, Law Enforcement, and
Public School entities/agencies. The purpose of this information was to verify
radio inventories and provide an update on the project. As a reminder, the NAPSCOM Project is intended to improve public safety radio
communications (focusing on operability and interoperability) as well as assist
agencies in meeting the federally mandated narrowband requirements (effective
in 2013) using available federal grant funds with additional investment of
funds from other sources.
Communications Infrastructure Workgroup (CIW) Members, Fire/EMS Agency Leadership, Law Enforcement
Agency Leadership, and Public School System Leadership attended a formal
presentation by RCC Consultant’s on January 17, 2012
at the Eastern Shore Community College (Melfa). RCC Consultants Jeff Pegram and
Wayne Campagna have been working closely with
Virginia Eastern Shore public safety entities and the 9-1-1
Commission throughout much of 2011 on this project and anticipated use
of grant funds. The presentation provided an overview of future radio
system/infrastructure improvements, how we expect to use available grant funds
(to improve radio communications and prepare for the narrowband mandate), as
well as overall timelines. This provided an opportunity for public safety
leadership to hear and discuss where we are heading with regard to improvements
to public safety communications and the use of available grant funds.
Additional information will be forthcoming as
project details are worked out.
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Communications Consulting Services Study Underway
The Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1
Commission has entered into a contract with RCC
Consultants, Inc., a public safety communications system design and engineering
consulting firm with offices in Glen Allen, Virginia, to provide analysis,
review of current radio system and its elements, make recommendations and
provide direction for public safety radio systems in both counties. RCC will be working
with ESVA 9-1-1 staff and representatives of the
Communications Infrastructure Workgroup.
RCC was selected from among eight proposals
received. RCC
provided an interim report to the Commission’s Communications Infrastructure
Workgroup (CIW) on July 21.
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Systems Analysis Conducted to Assess Eastern Shore’s Public
Safety Radio Infrastructure
The Commonwealth of Virginia, Virginia
Information Technologies Agency, by request of the Eastern Shore of Virginia
911 Commission, has analyzed communications equipment and performed radio
studies throughout the Eastern Shore of Virginia (ESVA)
911 service area. A summary of the
report is provided in an Executive Summary. To read the Executive Summary, click here. Key agencies have been provided
electronic copies of the extensive report.
If additional information is needed related to the report or copies of
the report are desired, contact the 9-1-1 Director. The VITA study provided an overall system documentation and basic recommendations for
improvements; additional and more detailed analysis will occur to upgrade the
current system in response to current needs and the VITA recommendations.
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ESVA911 Center Issues Revised Specifications for Field Radios
The ESVA 9-1-1 Commission has released
a revision to Appendix O of the Communications Manual (radio specifications).
It includes significant changes to the radio specifications (portables and
mobiles) recommended by the 9-1-1 Commission for fire and EMS field users. The
specifications incorporate recommendations from the state and specifications to
prepare for future channel and interoperability needs and should be used for
future procurements/purchases. The ESVA 9-1-1
Commission (working with the Communications Infrastructure Workgroup) is
recommending these standards to position public safety users with future
capabilities for the latest system technologies and interoperability as we move
toward system upgrades and enhancements.
Radios currently used in our system will continue to function as they
currently do, however as future upgrades to the radio system and channel plan
are made they may become incompatible with system requirements. These attached specifications will be used
for radios purchased with future grant funds. The exact direction we move
forward (related to our radio system upgrades and channel plans) has not been
established. However, it is understood there are several stations desiring to
purchase radios for immediate needs, therefore these revisions have been
provided for interim purchasing guidance and use. If there are any questions
please contact the Director.
The revised Communications Manual was approved
by the Accomack County Fire-Rescue Commission and Northampton County
Fire-Rescue Commission during the fall of 2008.
Amendments are made periodically.
To review the Communications Manual, select the Communications Manual
link in the Table of Contents (left panel) or click here .
For a list of changes made by date and
section, click here.
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ESVA911 Center Implements Air Ambulance Auto Launches
At
the request of the Eastern Shore EMS Council, the ESVA
9-1-1 Center will be auto-launching (requesting to actually launch) the closest
air ambulance for entrapment motor vehicle accidents with significant injury.
This will be a pilot program and is designed to improve patient care and
transport. A map was created to show first-due/second-due districts for Trooper
4, Nightingale, and Life-Evac III and will be used
when requesting a medical evacuation response.
Effective November 21st, 2011 the auto-launch of the closest medevac policy will change. The changes are as follows and
effective Shorewide:
Auto-launch (from the 9-1-1 Center) will occur when both of the
following/below criteria are met:
1. Confirmed
entrapment - The 9-1-1 Center is shifting from a policy where entrapment was
interpreted very loosely (people might be entrapped or looks like they are
unable to get out) to a stricter policy. We (the 9-1-1 Center) should have
reliable information (indicating a patient is entrapped) from a caller on-scene
for an auto-launch to be initiated.
2. Information about
a patient with one of the criteria met (from an individual on-scene with the
patient or patients): 1. Unconsciousness, 2. Ineffective breathing, 3.
Penetrating head, neck, torso, shoulder, or groin injury, 4. Complete amputation of hand, arm, foot, or
leg .
To simplify, for the 9-1-1 Center to initiate an auto-launch there
must be confirmed entrapment and information indicating a patient is either
unconscious, have ineffective breathing, a penetrating injury (specific area),
or an amputation.
Field personnel still have the authority to request the launch
of a medivac at their discretion at any time. These
requests will be honored without question.
This change to the auto-launch policy will not change the two
station alert (for extrication equipment). MVA
incidents with entrapment/possible entrapment will continue to follow the
two-station (for extrication equipment) policy.
Please
make sure individuals under your charge are aware of these changes.
Air Ambulance Auto-Launch and Dispatch Policy and
Procedures - March 2010
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Communications
Manual Updated
Amendments
Through December 5, 2011 Incorporated
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ESVA911 Center is an Accredited Emergency Medical Dispatch Center
In September 2007 the Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Center
implemented the APCO Emergency Medical Dispatch
program. The program provides consistency in the call-taking of EMS incidents,
priority of EMS incidents, and pre-arrival instructions. In February of 2008
the 9-1-1 Center was recognized as being an accredited emergency medical
dispatch (EMD) center, after submitting the necessary
documentation to the Virginia Office of EMS. Key components of meeting the
accreditation standards include using an approved EMD
program, having at least 25% of Communications Officers certified in EMD, always having at least one Communications Officer on
duty certified in EMD, maintaining forty hours on
continuing education every two years, and having a quality assurance and
improvement process in place. The 9-1-1 Center has taken the steps to certify
all Communications Officers in EMD. At the July 31st,
2008 9-1-1 Commission meeting, Ken Crumpler and Wayne
Berry, from the Virginia Office of EMS presented the Center’s Director, Jeff
Flournoy, with a plaque recognizing the accreditation of the 9-1-1 Center.
The Association of Public-Safety
Communications Officials International (APCO), the
world's largest organization dedicated to public safety communications, is a
member driven association of communications professionals that provides
leadership; influences public safety communications decisions of government and
industry; promotes professional development; and, fosters the development and
use of technology for the benefit of the public. The APCO Institute
Emergency Medical Dispatch Program is based on the NHTSA
National Standard Curriculum for EMD and
incorporates all of the current ASTM International guidelines in a
comprehensive EMD Package.
FOR ALL EMERGENCIES, DIAL 9-1-1
Non-Emergency
Phone Numbers: (757) 787-0911, 824-0911, 442-0911
9-1-1
Administration: (757) 787-0909
Copyright 2012,
Eastern Shore of Virginia 9-1-1 Commission
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Last Updated January 29, 2012