Call Taking System
Installed in March of 2012; last upgraded in July of 2019, the NPC-COL Emergency Communications call taking system that serves both ECCs is a geo-diverse Motorola Solutions Vesta system. The latest upgrade included Text to 9-1-1 capability and is currently taking active Text to 9-1-1 calls. The system is comprised of two sets of servers, one set located at the Lewiston Police Department (LPD) at 1224 F Street in Lewiston, Idaho and the other set located across the Clearwater River at the Nez Perce County Sheriff's Office (NPCSO) located within the Nez Perce County Jail building at 1150 Wall Street also in Lewiston, Idaho. The 911 call taking system currently receives 911 calls from CenturyLink legacy CAMA trunks, but is ready to take Next Generation 911 (NG911) calls via the State of Idaho Emergency Services Internet (ESiNet) when completed. The system is connected via a 10 Gigabit fiber optic connection with redundant connectivity provided by a wireless connection between the Lewiston Police Department and the Nez Perce County Jail.
Currently, the Vesta system also provides call taking service for the Lewis County Idaho ECC.
TEXT to 9-1-1
In February of 2021, the ECCs on the system began taking Text to 9-1-1 calls. This service will allow those who have difficulty hearing or speaking when reporting an emergency to do so by sending a text message by dialing 9-1-1 on their text service. When connected the call will appear on the Vesta Call Taking screen along with the phone number and location information and the Emergency Communications Officer (ECO) will utilize their keybord to use common language to get the required information needed from the caller. It is hopeful that this service will improve Emergency Communications for the hearing and speaking impaired as well as for people in situations where speaking would put them at risk.
Learn more about Text to 9-1-1
Redundancy
Multiple levels of secure redundancy are built into the call taking system in the event the primary fiber optic connection between LPD and NPCSO should fail.
Level 1 - Wireless Network connection. This connection a Ubiquity wireless microwave technology set up to immediatel fail over if the fiber optic network connection is lost or disrupted.
Level 2 - Each ECC has a set of servers located at the PSAPs primary site. In the event that both the fiber optic and wireless network connections are lost the system will continue taking calls via the stand alone servers. This is possible due to the system design that called for CAMA trunks to be installed at both PSAP primary call taking sites (LPD & NPCSO)
Level 3 - In the event either primary site needs to be evacuated both PSAPs maintain backup sites that are connected via secure wireless network connections.
Level 4 - Both PSAPs also have Cassidian CommandPost Laptop workstations that can plug into any internet connection and connect to the servers via a secure network link to the Cassidian servers.
Radio Dispatch
Calls are dispatched to emergency first responders via the Avtec Scout Console Radio system. The Avtec system utilizes a Windows based redundant server system and PC radio consoles at each Dispatch position that allow quick and reliable tone outs and voice communications to First Responder stations and in the field. The Avtec Scout System utilizes the private Public Safety Network that is a seperate, private network that is set up for redundancy in the same manner as the Motorola Solutions Vesta call taking system.
A system of VHF radio repeaters placed strategically throughout Nez Perce County and the City of Lewiston allows for clear communications throughout the hills, valleys, and mountainous areas of Nez Perce County with relatively few "dead" spots where radio reception and transmission is unattainable.