Title
Resolution to Approve a Contract with West Shores Services, Inc for a Comprehensive System Assessment, Control System Upgrade, and Maintenance of the Ann Arbor Outdoor Siren Warning System and Appropriate the Necessary Funds. ($40,000.00) (8 Votes Required)
Memorandum
The attached resolution seeks approval for a professional services contract with West Shore Services, Inc. for repair, maintenance and upgrade to the warning system. Since the sirens are activated by Washtenaw Metro-Dispatch, 5 software licenses for dispatch consoles will also be purchased.
Budget Impact - The Fire Department budget did not include this one-time $40,000 item. Use of General Fund reserves is requested to be the funding source. Increased on-going costs are anticipated to be covered within existing planned resources.
The Ann Arbor outdoor siren warning systems consists of 22 sirens which are activated for tornado warnings, severe thunderstorm warnings with confirmed winds of 75 mph or greater, hazardous materials spills that require immediate protective actions, any local emergency that requires immediate action, or a national threat alert from the Department of Homeland Security through the National Terrorism Advisory System. The siren system is tested on the second Tuesday of each month, March through November, at 1pm.
Upgrade of the warning system will allow the replacement of dated and worn technologies, including an FCC license correction, a new Windows 7 dedicated computer with software, a current technology Encoder-Decoder including antenna, radio, and location changes, a comprehensive system assessment to evaluate all site electronic and mechanical equipment including battery backup systems, and relocation of control equipment to an environmentally controlled location. In addition, approval for costs associated with locating a secondary redundant activation point for the sirens that is hard-wired to the system and is not dependant on the city network is being re...
Click here for full text