Western Mass Emergency
Medical Services Committee, Inc.
Meeting:
Communications Committee
Date: January 3, 2002
Place: McCallum Building Living Room, CDH,
Northampton
Presiding: Brian Andrews, Chairperson
Called
to Order: 8:48 am
Adjourned: 10:00 am
Attendance:
Present
– Brian
Andrews, Anthony Cerini, Stephen Cote, Bernard Forgea, Charles Garrity, Dave
Hansen, Dan Harrington, and Jim Kupernik
Minutes: A motion was made to accept minutes as written. This motion was seconded and approved unanimously.
Action
– None.
Follow-Up
on Surveys:
Discussion –
Mr.
Andrews has contacted the delinquent services.
Mr. Cote reports that he has received one as a result of the phone
calls.
Action – Continue to follow-up on
unreturned surveys.
Update
on Financial Assistance For Maintaining Resource Manual:
Discussion –
Mr.
Cote has contacted OEMS regarding financial assistance but hasn’t received any
response one way or the other.
Action – Mr. Cote to update the committee if he
receives any information.
Update
on Diversion Website:
Discussion –
Mr.
Andrews sent a letter to OEMS pointing out potential problems and
inconsistencies with the mandated website.
In this letter, Mr. Andrews also asked for financial assistance from
OEMS with the utilization of this site.
As of this meeting he has not heard a response. Mr. Cote did inform the
group that Ms. Goyette has been on vacation but has returned this week. If Mr. Andrews does not receive a response
in a timely fashion he will speak with others to have our concerns addressed.
On
a side note: Mr. Controvitch informed the group at a past meeting that
Springfield CMED would not be able to hook up to this website without funding
from OEMS. Mr. Cote reported that AMR feels that accessing the internet through
their systems may be an overload on their T1 System (CAD). He also reported
that all of the computers at AMR are a closed network and there are not any
that are hooked up to the internet. Mr. Andrews is concerned about their lack
of complying because without accurate data in the website re: diversion, the
statistics for Region 1 will not be accurate. In the newsletter that Mr.
Andrews has compiled he has asked that all of the services in Region 1 comply
with the mandate if possible. Mr.
Andrews stated that Mr. Cote needs to talk with CMED to figure out who is going
to do the inputting for diversions so an accurate record is maintained and when
decided, this needs to be in writing.
Action – Mr. Andrews to update committee if and
when he receives a response.
Mr. Cote to contact CMED in regards to accurate
diversion website information and
obtain written
agreement.
Update
of Hampden Cty. Phone Numbers for Mr. Cote: re diversion:
Discussion –
Mr.
Cote has received this list but they are very outdated. Mr. Cote states that
someone at CMED is currently working on an updated list. Mr. Cote reports that he will have the
updated list for the February meeting.
Action – Mr. Cote to bring updated list to the
February meeting.
Hampden
East Project:
Discussion –
Mr.
Cote has drafted a letter as a result of last months meeting, but declined to
send it out. Currently, the Grid is not interested in the combiner that Mr.
Marcus has. They believe that this
combiner will give us a loss of communications. Mr. Cote reports that he has
not been able to speak with John Cull at National Grid in Northborough. Mr. Forgea suggested that the committee
chairperson send a letter to Mr. Cull so he cannot avoid us. Mr. Cote feels that because the system at
the Grid is working fine, they aren’t really in any rush to change things. Mr.
Forgea also suggested that we find out who is in charge of Mr. Cull and so on,
so we can go directly to the top. Mr. Cote reports that he has a list of
questions compiled and once he gets in touch with Mr. Cull he is hoping that he
can get some information. Mr. Cote informed the committee that Mr. Marcus is
looking at other sites in Monson if this project isn’t going to work as
planned. Mr. Andrews then summarized the lengthy discussion by asking Mr. Cote:
if we are unable to get the Grid to accept the new combiner we will then be
faced to look for a new tower? Mr. Cote
then responded that this is possible. After lengthy discussion it was agreed
that Mr. Cote would call Mr. Cull consistently to set up a meeting for the Grid
to either accept the project or refuse the project. Mr. Andrews also asked Mr. Cote to give him Mr. Culls e-mail
address and phone number.
In
regards to the VHF part of the project: Mr. Cote reports that Wing Hospital is
ready to sign the agreement to cede us their radio. Mr. Cote stated that the region will take over Wing’s equipment
and add a few items to it and Wing will have the same service. Mr. Andrews
asked Mr. Cote where the money was coming from for this project. Mr. Cote reported that it had already been
figured into the whole project funded by the state. Mr. Andrews asked if a
contract had been written up and Mr. Cote reported that he had drafted a
document (the document was passed around to the committee for review). After review, Mr. Cerini made the suggestion
that reference to the radio be referred to as “a remote station”. All agreed
with this change. Mr. Andrews stated
that the document be presented to Executive Council and the WMEMS Committee
lawyer.
Action – Mr. Cote to get Mr. Culls information to
Mr. Andrews.
Mr. Cote to call Mr. Cull relentlessly.
Mr. Cote to make revisions to agreement with Wing Hospital, and get
approval from
Executive Council and the company lawyer.
Shelburne
Mountain:
Discussion –
Mr.
Andrews has drafted a letter to Franklin County EMS c/o Mr. Dana Johnson. In this letter Mr. Andrews is offering the
assistance of the committee by adding the Franklin County communication
problems to a list of potential projects in our area. This letter will be given in hand to Mr. Johnson following
todays’ meeting. Also, Mr. Garrity
informed the committee that there will be a meeting January 16 at 3:30 p.m. at
the Franklin County Council of Governments at the Greenfield Courthouse. Mr.
Hansen reports that from his understanding the State Police are done with this
project and the COG (Council of Governments) has hired someone to check all of
the mountains.
Action – Mr. Andrews to deliver
letter to Mr. Johnson.
Update
on the Communications Committee Newsletter:
Discussion –
Mr.
Andrews reports that the first newsletter is completed and a copy was handed
out to all present. Mr. Andrews feels that this newsletter should be expanded,
for example he feels that Mr. Cote should have a section in each issue. Mr. Andrews would like the WMEMS office to
send one out to all Ambulance, Fire, Police, and Dispatch agencies in Region
1.
Action – WMEMS office to mail out
Communication Newsletter to all agencies.
Update
on Springfield CMED Procedure Book:
Discussion –
Mr.
Controvitch is still working on getting a revised version of the procedure book
to Mr. Cote. Mr. Cote reports that he has spoken with Ms. Morrissey at CMED
about doing some in-house training with the CMED operators.
Mr.
Andrews emphasized the need for Mr. Cote and Mr. Controvitch to get this
resource manual completed.
Action – Mr. Controvitch to get
an updated copy of the Springfield CMED Procedure Book to
Mr. Cote and the
Communications Committee.
Update
on the Public Safety Wireless Network:
Mr.
Cote has spoken to the secretaries at the PSWN office, but no one else. Mr.
Cote will get some references and figures and report back at Februarys’
meeting.
Action – Mr. Cote to get a
list of references and costs for this event.
Information to be
presented at the
February meeting.
Contract
with Crown Communications (Becket):
Discussion –
Mr.
Kupernik reported that Becket is currently drafting a contract with Crown
Communications. Mr. Andrews stated that once complete, we will pursue funding
for this.
Action – Mr. Kupernik to keep
committee updated on progress.
Statewide
Dispatch Academy:
Discussion –
The
next course is sponsored by numerous agencies. If any communities are
interested in this training (a five week program) call Mr. Cote at the WMEMS
office for information. Currently this is an optional class, not mandated by
OEMS.
Action – None.
Next
Meeting:
Discussion –
The
next meeting will be held on Thursday, February 7, 2002, at 8:45 a.m. (please
note the change in time).
Adjourn: A motion was made to adjourn at 10:00 am. This motion was
seconded and approved unanimously.
Lisa
Herringshaw, Secretary, Recorder