Senator William Stachowski joined officials from the Town of Hamburg for the grand opening of its new regional dispatch center with a ribbon cutting and open house.

            The Town of Hamburg Public Safety Dispatch Office moved into its new dispatch office on Wednesday 16 September 2009 at approximately 1845hrs with the dispatching of an EMS call for Lake Shore Fire Dept. Ironically, this move occurred 35 years to the date of the move from the Village of Hamburg Police Department to the Town of Hamburg Fire Alarm Office.  

      The move enhances the job performed by the Public Safety Dispatchers. The office is over twice the square footage as the old office which allowed the increase in dispatch positions from four to six with an additional counter position. The move also increased the radio positions from two to three. The consoles have the capability for an additional three radio consoles to be installed.   

      All computers in the new dispatch office as well as the administrative phones are networked and use common database and programs. Included in the new office are, new computer desks which hold the new Radio Consoles. The radio consoles are now on computer and utilize Touch Screen Technology, they also include the back up phone system, door intercoms and door switches which control all doors entering the dispatch and lockup area.  

      The new radio consoles are all set up identically and allow the Dispatcher using it to talk on all frequencies that are utilized by the Dispatch Office. The console also allows the dispatchers to dispatch via voice paging to all Fire/EMS squads from any radio position.  

      The dispatch office is on generator power back up along with a 30min Uninterrupted Battery Backup Power Supply, this enables the entire dispatch office to operate should the power go out and the generator fails to start.  The move also enabled the Town to place all of the radio transmitters and the Town’s computer servers into one room which is climate controlled and has generator backup.  

      The new Dispatch Consoles are ergonomically designed to allow the Dispatcher to operate from a standing position or being seated in new chairs designed for the application.   

      The Hamburg Dispatch Office currently dispatches emergency calls for three police Departments (the Town of Hamburg, Village of Hamburg and Village of Blasdell), 17 Fire Departments, (Armor, Big Tree, Blasdell, Hamburg, Lake Shore, Lakeview, Newton-Abbott, Scranton, Woodlawn, Boston, North Boston, Patchin, Boston Emergency Squad, Eden, East Eden, Eden Emergency Squad and Colden), Southtowns HazMat and Hamburg Underwater Rescue. 

      “This is a tremendous enhancement to our Public Safety Dispatch Office and our ability to protect and serve our residents,” stated Supervisor Steven Walters.  “Through the efforts all involved, including Senator Stachowski, the County, Chief Kesner and our town workers, we created a truly state-of-the-art regional dispatch center that this community can be proud of.”  

      “I am proud to have been able to secure the $250,000 grant for renovation of the Hamburg Emergency Dispatch Center,” said Senator Bill Stachowski. “The Dispatch Center handled more than 300,000 calls last year, and this grant will bring the most modern and up to date technology to the antiquated 1960’s era facility, enhancing  the abilities of all of the first responders in our community.”  

      “We are thankful for the support and confidence the town has shown us in providing this new dispatch center,” stated Hamburg Police Chief Carmen Kesner.  “This brings us into the 21^st Century and will allow us to better meet the needs of our community.” 

      “This new facility allows us to provide expanded services and allows us to function more efficiently and gives the Town an enhanced Command Center in case of an emergency,” said Tom Taylor, Senior Public Safety Dispatcher.  “The job that was performed by the dispatchers in the old facility is only a credit to their dedication and ability. The new office and equipment provides the resources to perform the required tasks in a more proficient manor” 

      This dispatch office demonstrates what can be done when different entities work together and the cooperation has only increased,” said Village of Hamburg Mayor Tom Moses.  “Now we have a center that will provide even more enhanced services to our residents.”