The City Council last night approved an appropriation of $55,000 to fund a temporary dispatch communication center while the city pursues a centralized dispatch center in our public safety complex.

Preceding the construction of a centralized dispatch center, which will include the expansion of the existing police dispatch center, a temporary dispatch communication center must be erected at the Chicopee Fire Department to allow for dispatch services to continue uninterrupted.

These funds will allow the dispatch equipment located on the first floor of the Police Department to be moved to the second floor of the Fire Department. That process includes cutting a hole in the roof where the equipment is currently located so it can be moved, necessary electrical work, and communications systems work.

"This is step one in the process of providing comprehensive emergency dispatch services for our residents,” said Mayor Richard Kos. “This will bring us into compliance with state 911 standards and will provide cost savings and improve response times.”

"This temporary dispatch center will allow daily around the clock operations until renovations of the new dispatch center are complete in the fall," said Technology Project Manager Robert Liswell.

Fire Chief Dean Desmarais said “This is an important first step toward the completion of the Combined Dispatch Center which will include upgrades that will allow the use of the newest technologies to receive calls in multiple formats. It will positively affect dispatch procedures by reducing response time and ensuring accuracy while also making the process cost efficient.”