Highlights:

• January 2008: Intergovernmental Agreement was finalized for nine out of ten public safety dispatch operations in Charleston County to consolidate. The agreement forms the Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Board.
• February 2008: North Charleston's 9-1-1 Center co-located with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office and EMS dispatch operations.
• October 2008: Following an extensive search, Jim Lake was hired as the Director of the Consolidated 9-1-1 Center.
• January 2009: Administrative joining of the Sheriff's Office and EMS 9-1-1 dispatch operations took place, officially forming the County's Consolidated 9-1-1 Center.
• January 2010: The merging of call takers for the Sheriff's Office and EMS/Fire dispatch began on January 4, 2010, and is a significant step in the consolidation process. City of Charleston, through signing of contract Addendum on January 5, 2010, finalized their participation in the Intergovernmental Agreement for Consolidated Dispatch.
• November 2013: Consolidation step completed with transition of our final agencies to the 9-1-1 center.

Brief History: In 2006, community emergency response and elected officials initiated the concept of consolidating public safety dispatch services. The Charleston County Consolidated Dispatch Committee, a multi-jurisdictional group consisting primarily of public safety chiefs appointed by elected officials and the County Administrator, was formed in late 2006, guiding the process of the Charleston County Communications Feasibility Study. The feasibility study was completed in April of 2007 and indicated that consolidating all ten 9-1-1 and dispatch centers in the County was feasible, desirable, and would improve emergency response in Charleston County. The Committee then developed an intergovernmental agreement that was signed by all but one jurisdiction by the goal date of December 31, 2007. County Council approved and finalized the intergovernmental agreement at their meeting on January 22, 2008.

Agreement Development and Consensus:

• The agreement was completed by the multi-jurisdictional Consolidated Dispatch Committee, a multi-jurisdictional group of law enforcement, fire and EMS leaders within Charleston County and chaired by North Charleston Police Chief, Jon Zumalt.
• Assistance of the Charleston County Legal Department staff was significant.
• Funding decisions made by Charleston County Council were key to the agreement.
• Willingness of involved public safety chiefs to attend various jurisdictional meetings was critical to the acceptance of the agreement.

The following jurisdictions signed the agreement since they have a dispatch operation (or had a dispatch operation at the time of the Agreement):

• Charleston County (EMS & Charleston County Sheriff's Office)
• City of North Charleston
• Town of Mount Pleasant
• City of Isle of Palms
• St. Johns Fire District
• James Island Public Service District (PSD) Fire District
• St. Andrews PSD Fire District
• City of Charleston*

*Note: The City of Charleston was not an original participant in the agreement. However, participating jurisdictions approved the City of Charleston's request to join the Consolidated 9-1-1 Center during the Fall of 2009, and on December 15, 2009, Charleston City Council voted in favor of the addendum to the Intergovernmental Agreement adding the City of Charleston as a full participant in consolidated dispatch efforts. City of Charleston Police Chief Greg Mullen and City of Charleston Fire Chief Karen Brack are full voting members of the Consolidated Dispatch Board.

The Intergovernmental Agreement, effective January 22, 2008, sets forth the following:

• Governing Structure:

  • The Consolidated 9-1-1 Center functions as a Charleston County department.
  • The Consolidated Dispatch Board has oversight of operational protocols and procedures.
  • The Consolidated Dispatch Board has significant input into the 9-1-1 Center's budget and the selection, oversight and evaluation of the 9-1-1 Center director.

• Financial Responsibilities:

  • Charleston County will pay for start-up costs for the Consolidated Dispatch Center, and construction of a new facility is planned.
  • Jurisdictions that have signed the agreement will share responsibility for operational costs over the first two years of full Consolidated Dispatch Center operations.
  • During the third year of full Consolidated Dispatch Center operations and beyond, Charleston County will pay the full operational cost, estimated at $10.5 million per year.

• Consolidated Dispatch Board Representation (based on the Intergovernmental Agreement along with the recent addendum):
  • Charleston County: 2 (Sheriff and EMS Director)
  • North Charleston: 2 (Police Chief and Fire Chief)
  • Mount Pleasant: 2 (Police Chief and Fire Chief)
  • City of Charleston 2 (Police Chief and Fire Chief)
  • Isle of Palms (Rotating): 1 (Police Chief)
  • Fire Chiefs Association: 2 Representatives
  • Non-Voting Member: Charleston County Administrator Designee
  • Non-Voting Member: Federal Agency Representative

• Staffing
  • It is the intent "that the hiring of dispatch staff at participating agencies will take place," and it is therefore anticipated that all dispatchers from these centers will be transitioned to the new Consolidated 9-1-1 Center.
  • A readiness program has been initiated to assist current dispatchers to meet qualifications standards for the Consolidated 9-1-1 Center.
  • Staffing structure, salaries, schedules and other matters are evolving through the work of the Consolidated Dispatch Board's Human Resources Committee, utilizing input from all participating jurisdictions.

Successful 9-1-1 Consolidation has:

• Improved emergency response times
• Increased communication and cooperation among emergency response agencies
• Utilized grant funding to improve coordination with local agencies
• Implemented technology advances which have:
  • improved situational awareness for our community
  • improved coordinated responses to emergency scenes
  • increased responder safety
• Improved training and certification opportunities for dispatchers
• Improved best practices as acknowledged through Accreditations received