Agenda Item
City Council
Item #: 3.9. 8/8/2023 File #: 23-0504
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
THRU: Tom Kisela, City Manager
FROM: Sean deMetropolis, Fire Chief
1. SUBJECT
Authorize purchase of fire station alerting system from US Digital Designs, Inc. for Fire Stations 2 through 8.
2. SUMMARY
The Fire Department is seeking to purchase the Phoenix G2 alerting platform from US Digital Designs, Inc. to implement a system-wide replacement of the existing alerting systems for Fire Stations 2 through 8. This alerting platform will enable Fire Department personnel to respond to emergency situations with greater speed and efficiency by providing enhanced alerting options, such as customized tones and lighting systems.
3. RECOMMENDED ACTION
Authorize the appropriation of $345,000 from the City Infrastructure Bond (553), for the purchase of the Phoenix G2 station alerting system in an amount not to exceed $345,000 from US Digital Designs, Inc.
4. FISCAL IMPACT
The total expenditure for this purchase is $345,000 and will be funded through City Infrastructure Bond (553). Upon approval of this appropriation, the estimated fund balance on June 30, 2024 will be $410,000.
5. STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Goal 1: Provide for a safe community
a: Provide staffing and resources to deliver services that ensure public safety.
Goal 4: Provide outstanding public service
b: Provide facilities and services to meet customer expectations.
6. DISCUSSION AND BACKGROUND
In 2003, the Orange Fire Department (OFD) purchased and installed station alerting equipment from Westnet, Inc. (Westnet) through the Metro Cities Fire Authority. At the time, Westnet was the only vendor providing fire station alerting services to the Metro Net Communications Center (Metro Net), which is responsible for dispatching services to the OFD. While the Westnet platform has proven to be a quality product, the OFD has encountered various difficulties that have caused concerns, City of Orange Printed on 8/2/2023Page 1 of 2
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Item #: 3.9. 8/8/2023 File #: 23-0504
be a quality product, the OFD has encountered various difficulties that have caused concerns, particularly in terms of customer service and maintenance. The lack of, or significant delays in, these services have been both challenging and costly for the department.
Currently, Metro Net utilizes both Westnet and US Digital Designs (USDD) as station alerting vendors. During the construction of Fire Headquarters and Station 1, OFD conducted a survey reaching out to numerous agencies and contacts to determine the best fire station alerting solution.
The consensus reflected OFD's experience - Westnet provides a good product but inadequate service. This is magnified by the cost of the required annual service agreements of upwards of $80,000, that is based upon the complexity of design and the number of stations and apparatus. Due to this high expense cost, the OFD has elected not to have a service agreement with Westnet, preferring to have programming difficulties handled in-house whenever possible.
Due to the proprietary nature of Westnet's equipment and programming, the costs associated with servicing and replacing their products are quite high. In contrast, USDD offers a wide array of services that surpass what Westnet can provide, including, but not limited to: end-user applications, end-user programmability, end-user ability to add or remove system components, and component purchasing from internet vendors. Furthermore, USDD has provided certification training to enable OFD staff to perform internal programming, thereby minimizing future maintenance costs. Currently, five members of the fire department are G2 certified and capable of maintaining and installing USDD equipment.
At the July 13, 2021 City Council Meeting, Item #3.28, the purchase of the Phoenix G2 alerting platform from USDD for the new Fire Headquarters and Station 1, was approved by the City Council.
Since its successful programming, the OFD has been highly satisfied with the ability to maintain and modify the Phoenix G2 alerting system in-house without incurring fees for problem-solving or desired modifications. An additional advantage of the USDD system is the inclusion of numerous features, such as the ability to display call information on screen in the apparatus bay. Moreover, the USDD system enhances alerting options, contributing to improved reflex time and overall response times, thereby ensuring the highest level of emergency response possible.
Based on the positive experiences observed with the implementation of the USDD Phoenix G2 system at Fire Headquarters and Station 1, and the expected long-term cost savings in maintenance, the department strongly believes that replacing the alerting system across the organization will ultimately provide the City of Orange with the highest overall value and level of service possible.
7. ATTACHMENTS
· USDD Fire Station Alerting System Quote (Proposal number: CA-OGCY011) City of Orange Printed on 8/2/2023Page 2 of 2
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