Fire Rescue News - EGG HARBOR CITY LOOKING INTO DISPATCH OPTIONS; CLOSING E.H.C. CALL CENTER
Thursday, April 21 2011 @ 06:14 am EDT
Contributed by: CBrining
EGG HARBOR CITY -- Egg Harbor City held a special meeting Wednesday night regarding dispatch services for fire, police, and ambulances.
For decades, the emergency dispatch call center in Egg Harbor City has served members of the....Continue Reading
Mid-Atlantic Communications Network, including E.H.C., Mullica Township, and four subscriber members: Weymouth Township, Buena Vista Township, Estell Manor, and Folsom Bureau. Last week, Mullica Township officially notified Egg Harbor City officials it planned to look elsewhere for emergency dispatch services.
"With Mullica Township leaving now, that it's official, we cannot sustain to staff ourselves in Egg Harbor City, and all four of the subscriber member communities that were in Mid- Atlantic Communications are looking to other centers now." said E.H.C. Mayor Joseph Kuehner Jr.
But July 1, Mullica Township will officially share services with a neighboring township; leaving six full-time dispatchers in E.H.C. looking for jobs elsewhere.
"It's a shock to everybody, knowing that they give it the best that they can," said Egg Harbor City Chief Communications Operator Gary Jerue.
The city is already in talks with Gloucester County, and Galloway and Hamilton Townships to share their emergency services, and local officials hope the E.H.C. dispatchers get the support they deserve in regard to future positions.
"We have asked those other communities, if this does happen, to consider our dispatchers first, if they were going to bring on new dispatchers, or add staffing in their centers." Kuehner Jr. said.
But, the mayor is assuring local residents that they will see no difference in the quality of their emergency services.
"The residents of Egg Harbor City should see no difference. The only difference is that people that would be dispatching our police, fire and ambulance would not be housed in our building." Kuehner Jr. said.
A final decision on the shared services agreement could come as early as next week during the E.H.C. Common Council's next regularly scheduled meeting.
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