Editor’s Update 11:00 AM June 16th: The initial story contains a misquote of Everett Police Chief Dan Templeman. When asked about New World Templeman said, “I have not been made aware of any software related dispatch issues that have jeopardized public safety or caused any life-safety related issues.” I wrote that he said problems dispatching officers to calls. That was wrong on my part. Templeman made it clear he was only speaking for police-related calls for service. I apologize for misquoting Chief Templeman. The story has been corrected and I have also crafted a public and personal apology to Chief Templeman. – Leland Dart, Publisher MyEverettNews.com.
Everett Mayor Stephanson says he’s not satisfied with the New World dispatch system and is asking for answers.
At the Everett City Council meeting tonight Everett Mayor Ray Stephanson told the council he had written a letter today to the Senior Vice President of New World Systems regarding problems with their dispatching software.
The Mayor told the council he’s not at all satisfied with the system that has cost millions and wants a definitive answer on when the problems will be fixed.
MyEverettNews.com has asked the city for a copy of the letter and will publish it when it is received.
We spoke with the Mayor briefly after the meeting. “We continue to have these glitches with the system and it is unacceptable,” said Mayor Stephanson. “The issue is mostly affecting our fire department and I want to know how and when it will be fixed.”
MyEverettNews.com also spoke briefly with Everett Police Chief Dan Templeman about New World. He said, “I have not been made aware of any software related dispatch issues that have jeopardized public safety or caused any life-safety related issues.”
MyEverettNews.com has been reporting on the issues with the dispatch system including failures to dispatch 2nd and 3rd alarms along with problems dispatching the right fire rigs to emergencies. For months we’ve been tracking radio transmissions highlighting the problems.
SNOPAC Executive Director Kurt Mills has assured system users that they are working on the issues and says the system is 95% there.
It’s not just SNOPAC having issues…
Speaking of 95%, SNOCOM is also the agency that dispatches Fire District 1 and the cities of Lynnwood, Edmonds, Brier and Mountlake Terrace. Directors there recently discussed how they have a standard of 95% of all calls to be dispatched within 60 seconds. It was revealed the old system was meeting that standard but the New World System is not. Here’s an excerpt from their most recent board minutes…
New World Performance Metrics. Director Peterson explained that in 2005, the SNOCOM Board established a goal for the agency in terms of performance metrics. The goal was that the agency dispatch 95% of fire and medical calls within 60 seconds or less. He added that with Northrop Grumman, they were doing a fairly consistent job of meeting that goal. Now that the data is available through New World, they have discovered that the performance has decreased. They are now trying to evaluate why this drop has occurred, as well as examine workflow and other issues that may be contributing to this change.
SNOPAC and SNOCOM recently hired the consulting firm of Reed and Associates to facilitate the merger of the two dispatch agencies. To learn more about SNOCOM you can check out their website which provides their Board of Directors agendas and briefing packets online here for public review.
Again MyEverettNews.com will publish Mayor Stephanson’s letter to New World Systems when it becomes available and will continue to follow the issues surrounding concerns over how Everett’s first responders are dispatched.
June 15, 2016
Everett, Everett Government