| Westport officials are weighing the purchase of new radio equipment for the police and fire departments, which is estimated to cost $2.7 million and which will be used to aid in emergency response and dispatch services for the community. In considering the applications for the new system, town officials are weighing the benefits of combining police and fire dispatch services. According to First Selectwoman Diane Farrell, the equipment now used by the police department is antiquated and requires replacement. The fire department equipment will also need to be replaced shortly, and Farrell said it "makes sense" to purchase equipment now for both departments to take advantage of the available cost savings when buying the new equipment. Combining dispatch services would result in increased efficiency and reduced costs between the two departments, according to Deputy Police Chief David Heinmiller. Fire Chief Denis McCarthy agrees that there are inherent benefits in combining dispatch services between the departments, but is in favor of exploring the idea of creating a regional dispatch system which extends beyond Westport into the surrounding towns to create even greater effectiveness and efficiencies and cost savings between communities. Heinmiller said that greater efficiency and cost savings could be gained by funding a single location for dispatch services at police headquarters. Currently, the police are the first responders for 911 and if there is a fire, they contact the fire department dispatch service. If the two departments combine, the police could utilize the fire dispatchers and use their current police personnel for other functions. Fire Chief McCarthy wants to extend the concept even further, even if the dispatch services for the two departments are combined. He favors considering a regional approach which would incorporate departments from surrounding towns. "The manpower that it takes to maintain the increasingly technical equipment is a huge burden, a 24-hour-a-day maintenance nightmare," he said. "The technology is so detailed you have to be an expert to maintain the radio equipment." McCarthy thinks that developing a regional system is an excellent way to share the burdens and the efficiencies, as well as the cost savings that would result. "The number one issue that came out of 9/11 was inter-operability of communications," he said. McCarthy is urging the RTM to consider taking a long view and looking at regional systems.
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