Finance Committee - 10/18/2017 Page 22
Mr. Mansfield
No.
Alderman Cookson
Why not?
Mr. Mansfield
You are talking about mutual aid and you're talking about a catastrophe happening at a dispatch center. They
are not the same.
Alderman Cookson
I’m talking about that we are able to communicate with multiple agencies.
Mr. Mansfield
Not if you lose your dispatch center. If you lose your dispatch center, you will not be communicating with any
agencies. You're not even communicating with yourself. That's the purpose of this.
Alderman Cookson
So we have backup within the city between fire and police and vice versus. And, we have portables that act as
a short term solution that allow us to communicate with one another and continue to provide the services that
need to be provided.
Mr. Mansfield
If | may, you’re losing services. When you’re communicating on portables, they are communicating back and
forth with the engine companies. I’m not even sure if the phones are up or down, but if the phones are up
that’s one thing. If the phones are down, that’s another issue. Now we need a place to get calls. That’s why |
am saying that’s what this building is going to provide us with. It’s going to provide us with that communication
capability that we don’t have today if something catastrophic happens. |’m just trying to look to the future. I’m
not saying | want that to happen.
Alderman Cookson
| appreciate that, and | appreciate you taking the time to help me understand. | apologize if you went over any
of this content prior to my arrival this evening. | appreciate you reinforcing and communicating to me the
responses to my questions. The last question, would this structure, this communication building, is it on the
Regional Airport’s property?
Mr. Mansfield
Correct.
Alderman Cookson
Is it a new Structure or is it an existing structure?
