By Amanda Estes

Staff Writer

    The City of South Portland is currently holding
discussions with the City of Portland regarding the consolidation of
Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP), a plan that according to the
Maine Public Utilities Commission mandate must be completed by Oct. 1.
South Portland City Manager Ted Jankowski said he expects the issue to
come before the South Portland City Council at the April 23 workshop.

    Jankowski said because South Portland already works
closely with Portland on various issues and because future
consolidations may be required in the future, the move makes sense for
the city.

    “We’re really looking to the future with
consolidation,” he said. “Many places are consolidating now and will
have to a few years from now.” Jankowski said a cooperative with
Portland would prevent South Portland from undergoing future
consolidations and South Portland would not have to add more services
to offset an increase in demand for services.

    South Portland Police Chief Edward Googins said the
proposal currently called for the dispatch services to be “co-located,”
which means Portland will answer 9-1-1  calls and dispatch police
calls and South Portland will answer fire and EMS calls.

    “We’re looking at having some redundant capabilities should either center go down for any reason,” he said.

    Currently, the South Portland Public Safety
Communication Division answers emergency 9-1-1 calls for Cape
Elizabeth.

    The Cape Elizabeth Town Council approved that
one-year agreement earlier this year. If the town chooses to partner
with Portland and South Portland, Portland will answer its 9-1-1 and
police calls. Although Cape Elizabeth has not been involved in the
discussions between the two cities, Town Manager Michael McGovern said,
“Both cities have shown a willingness to invite us.” 

    “Cape Elizabeth provides a good service at a cost
that is probably less than we could do in any regional cooperative,” he
said. Situations like the recent April storms, however, make it
difficult for the town’s single dispatch center to handle the high
volume of calls, McGovern said.

    Fire and Rescue Chief Philip McGouldrick agreed the
consolidation presents advantages and disadvantages for Cape Elizabeth.


    “Our dispatches in this town know the town (and)
know the people,” he said. “That’s the positive thing-that knowledge of
the community. The downside of our community is there’s only one
dispatcher on duty at a time,” he said. In a crisis, he said four to
five extra dispatchers would be a benefit to the town.

    Jankowski said due to advanced communication
systems, the location of the dispatch center is not as important. He
said in many instances the vehicle out on the street will get the
location and the information at the same time as the dispatch and may
respond to the call before being dispatched.

    Jankowski said there won’t be any initial cost
savings but there could be savings in the future. He said the city
would look to homeland security funds to offset the costs.