Iredell County Communications Moves Into New Facility

On Wednesday, July 17, 2019, Iredell County Emergency Communications turned a page in their history book. After operating for 40 years in a small, dark, windowless room that housed a maximum of 10 telecommunicators, they flipped the switch to their new 38,000 square foot, state of the art dispatch center located in the new Public-Safety Center at 404 Bristol Dr., a facility that could potentially house 3 times the number of telecommunicators. As the morning began, telecommunicators from each of the 4 shifts began to filter in to both the old and new facilities with great anticipation for what was about to happen. As technicians from AT&T, Conterra, Mission Critical Partners, Central Square, ECATS, and Iredell County ITS began preparing for the switch over, Iredell County Emergency Management opened and activated the Emergency Operations Center to support the techs and staff with the transition. Members of Iredell County Administration, Statesville Fire, ARES, NC Emergency Management, Iredell County Animal Services, NC Forestry, Troutman Police, Mooresville Police, and the Iredell County Fire Services stood ready to lend their support should any issues arise as technicians began to maneuver and install the multiple pieces of the puzzle needed to make the move successful. Professional tower climbers were utilized to move microwaves mounted high on radio towers throughout the county while radio technicians updated programming and brought up a new conventional simulcast system that compliments the state of the art 800mHz radio system that allows communications throughout the state, referred to as the NC State VIPER Radio System. This system will allow telecommunicators from Iredell County to dispatch for any county across the state should the need arise.

While the field technicians dealt with the radio equipment needed to communicate to agencies in the field, other technicians were busy inside both centers moving the infrastructure over so operations could be assumed at the new center. This included removing and relocating computer towers that house the radio software that allows the telecommunicators to interconnect with the transmitters and receivers and bringing up the new Vesta 9-1-1 telephone system which replaces the Patriot system that was being used at the old center. This new phone system will allow for integration with new technologies, including NG911, and offers abilities that the old system could not provide.

As equipment was being relocated and installed at the new center, operations at the old center began to be phased out and phased in at the new center. First the radio system was brought up and dispatch operations began at the new facility. This was quickly followed by the ability to receive and process telephone calls at the new facility. Finally, at approximately 2:30 pm, operations were discontinued at the old facility, full operations began at the new location and the Go Live was declared a success!

We would like to thank all of those involved with the planning, design, implementation, and completion of this project and for giving us a home that will last for at least 60 years or more!