The Fire Department is in the process of upgrading its fire station alerting system.  The project is being done in stages, the upgrade at Fire Station 4 was completed in 2016.  The Fire Department is ready to start the upgrade to the alerting system at Fire Station 3. 

The upgrades to the station alerting system will provide dispatch information faster to crews in the stations, automatic lighting and call details to each bunk area, and visual alerting in high noise areas of the stations.  The Fire Department’s response times can be improved by instantaneously alerting the right crews, in the right places, so they can respond more efficiently and with more accurate information.

Northwest Central Dispatch System (NWCD) uses US Digital Designs’ Phoenix G2 alerting network to dispatch information to our stations.  NWCD has installed the control stations for the system in all four of our stations, which represents the largest cost of the process.  The peripheral equipment we need to purchase can only be purchased through US Digital Designs.   

Installation can be performed by US Digital or certified installation companies, however, we prefer to use US Digital because they are the experts in servicing and supporting their systems.  In addition, if a problem arises, we won’t have to determine if it is an installation or product issue.  US Digital will be responsible for all of it. 

The Foreign Fire Insurance Tax Board has agreed to fund $15,000 (Account 227-3701-512.50-15) of the cost of this phase of the project.  There is $20,000 budgeted in Account 401-3501-572.50-15 EQ9502 for the Village’s portion of this phase of the project. 

RECOMMENDATION

It is recommended that the Village Board waive formal bidding procedures and approve the purchase and installation of upgrades to the Station 3 alerting system from US Digital Designs for a total cost of $34,598.  The vendor has been determined to be responsible.