RE: [xml-dev] Any way to volunteer XML development skills to hel pwith the recent events???

[Ann Navarro <ann@webgeek.com>]

At 02:06 PM 9/21/2001 -0500, Bullard, Claude L (Len) wrote:
>Go to the next meeting of your city council and ask the following
>questions:
>
>1.  Is the city or county public safety system physically protected?

Add: Do they have sufficient staffing on a day to day basis, as well as any 
depth of reserves (that is trained staff) for call center/dispatch services 
that can withstand a multi-day jurisdiction-wide (or larger) event?
         The answer will inevitably be no -- you'd be amazed at how few 
people are on duty at any given time in communications centers, and "police 
officers/firefighters/EMTS" will provide backup staffing" is not an 
acceptable answer, they aren't trained for dispatch/control center duty any 
more than dispatchers are trained in riot and arrest procedures.

>2.  Are your dispatch and emergency service systems open to communication
>across political/service boundaries (can your neighboring county's system
>dispatch or post events to yours?)

         While this isn't the appropriate forum to discuss specific control 
center policies, direct inter-system access isn't necessarily a good idea. 
However, a disaster plan that involves transfer of communications/control 
functions to another jurisdiction (with backup-backup jurisdiction plans 
available) is essential.

Ann -- been there done that, Loma Prieta Earthquake, 1989 (San Jose, PD), 
Monterey County, CA Floods, January and March, 1995 (Monterey County 
Sheriff's Office)


Ann Navarro, WebGeek Inc.
http://www.webgeek.com/
What's on my mind? http://www.snorf.net/blog/	
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Hooya waling waling wi tiyil!