County, Features, Meeker, Rangely

Changes coming to 911, dispatch services

RANGELY | The small meeting room at Rangely Town Hall was filled to capacity Tuesday with 911 emergency services professionals, police, fire, EMS, town employees, elected officials and concerned citizens to listen to Rio Blanco County Emergency Manager Ty Gates present the “State of 911 Communications.”

In 2018 the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC) began negotiations with vendors to develop and install a statewide Emergency Services Internet Protocol Network (ESInet) system that will accommodate NG911 and geospatial location technology. Centurylink was awarded the contract in January 2019 and released new 911 tariffs and a timetable for installation throughout the State of Colorado. Currently Centurylink is the only company offering 911 service.

ESInet is a separate internet designed for emergency services and is the technical backbone of the NG911 system. ESInet is a critical first step toward Next-Generation 911. The network is broadband-enabled supporting the transmission of video, images and other bandwidth-intensive data files that would choke narrowband systems. ESInets enable the sharing of emergency data between PSAPs—public safety answering point—which is a call center responsible for answering calls to an emergency telephone number for police, fire and EMS services. A PSAP facility runs 24 hours a day passing 911 calls on to public or private safety agencies), expanding the possibilities of collaborative emergency response across the nation. Next Generation 911 modernizes the infrastructure to accommodate how the public communicates today—largely through mobile and digital devices. NG911 allows the public to send digital data from other transmitting devices such as wearable medical devices, vehicle crash data, video, RTT, building security/fire systems and more. NG911 provides many things today’s 911 system cannot.

Rio Blanco County has the smallest population base with two separate 911 Authorities (911 boards), along with being the smallest population base in the state with two dispatch centers (Rangely and Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Department/Meeker) managing an overall small volume of calls. Together both dispatch center budgets total approximately $1,000,000. Together both PSAPS have on hand approximately $250,000.

Gates presented five different options for responding to the required new technologies:

  • Rangely and Meeker PSAPS continue as they are today, as separate entities. Both PSAPS will pay the annual tariff of $18,000 each, for year two forward. Both PSAPS will continue to pay CPE (Customer Premise Equipment) annual maintenance contracts, Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and Meeker $20,000, and Rangely $14,000.
  • Combine the Eastern and Western PSAPS and place a 911 Terminal and Radio terminal in Rangely. The costs associated with this option are as follows for the Rio Blanco Sheriff’s Office and Meeker, $140,000. A CPE annual maintenance contract of $20,000. CAD (computer-aided dispatch or computer-assisted dispatch), $180,000 plus purchase and maintenance contract shared cost which would be determined later. Rangely costs would be $35,000 plus share of maintenance contract. Rangely DTR radio console would be $175,000 plus share of maintenance. The cost for a single 911 Board annual tariff fee would be $18,000-$27,000 (two or three sessions).
  • Consolidate both Eastern/Western PSAPs and Meeker/Rangely dispatch centers. Rangely’s cost associated with this option would be user fees (unknown amount set by unknown source). Rio Blanco Sheriff’s Office and Meeker 911 CPE $140,000, CAD $180,000. Tariff fees $18,000- $27,000 (# of sessions). Annual maintenance contract CPE $20,000 and radio $18,000. User fees are unknown at this time. In the list of cons for this option is the loss of four full time employees for Rangely but Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and Meeker would need to increase 2-4 full time employees.
  • Combined radio systems connected via county fiber; both dispatch centers remain separate. Costs associated with this option would be $175,000 for Rangely (new radio system). Unknown costs for any VHF system brought into DTR system. Rio Blanco County Sheriff’s Office and Meeker cost $21,000 for radio maintenance contract and unknown IT costs for fiber connection.
  • Contract out all 911 and dispatch services to another agency, which would save money but result in the loss of 10 full time employees and a laundry list of cons including the loss of several services that are currently performed by dispatch services personnel.

In preparation for these changes, over the next 2-3 years the Rio Blanco County GIS will clean and correct addresses that do not conform to standard addressing guidelines in order to meet the standard of 98% accuracy matching addresses and MSAS (Master Street Addressing Guide) Data. A county wide Addressing Ordinance will need to be adopted by both towns and the County to stay in compliance.

At this time no decisions were made. Attendees plan to take the information back to their respective organization or boards and go over their options. The Town of Rangely has hired a third-party consultant, using grant money, to give them a different perspective on this important decision that will need to be made in the near future.

By Roxie Fromang | Special to the Herald Times

One Comment

  1. Nice to see progress in rural Colo.

Come say hi!

@ht.1885
  • Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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  • It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
Jake Blazon at bat for the Meeker Cowboys. The MHS team brought home two wins against Olathe and lost two against the North Fork Miners. The location for this weekend’s games has not been announced due to weather and field conditions. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
7 hours ago
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The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
The 2024 Meeker High School boys basketball team held their awards banquet last week. Jace Mobley was named Player of the Western Slope League and all-conference, Ryan Sullivan all-conference, Jonathon Fitzgibbons all-conference, Ethan Quinn honorable mention all-conference, Jacob Simonsen honorable mention all conference. Mobley will play in All State games. Coach Klark Kindler was named Western Slope Coach of the Year. Left to right: Bryan Rosas, Simonsen, Quinn, Fitzgibbons, Mobley and Sullivan.
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It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 
🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week.
Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! 
We appreciate all your continued support!
It's that time again! Another edition of great local news stories is 🐰 Hopping 🐰 your way this morning! Catch up on everything thats 🐣 hatching 🐣 in Rio Blanco County this week. Need a copy? Signing up is fast and easy! Visit our website at ht1885.com/subscribe to get a copy sent to your door every week! We appreciate all your continued support!
14 hours ago
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Meeker FFA Chapter members competed at the District Leadership Development Event in Craig, Colorado, this month. Top row from left to right: Eva Scritchfield, Charlie Rogers, Alan Rivera, Trent Sanders, Koy Weber, Orion Musser, Said Rodriguez, Carlos Carrillo, Aidan Tapia, Hayden Garcia, Tristan Rollins, Mathew Willey, Quentin Simpson. Middle row: Sidney Keetch, Aurora Stallings, Sydnie Ross, Ava Nay, Lili Piper, Leah Wood. Bottom Row: Jaicee Simmons, Kailynn Watson, Cody Richardson, Kayla Castillo, Braydin Raley, Autumn Stallings, Aimee Shults, Emily Hamm. Read the full story online at ht1885.com.
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A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
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