Fairfield, Westport Police Chiefs: New 911 Dispatch Center Ready to Go

FAIRFIELD, CT — The police and fire chiefs of Fairfield and Westport said on Saturday that the new Fairfield County Regional Dispatch Center, which is set to begin handling more 911 emergency calls on Wednesday, is ready to handle the load.

Fairfield's police and fire calls have been handled in the regional facility for a year, and on Wednesday the police and fire calls from Westport and New Canaan will go through the center, too.

On Friday, Kevin Sheil, President of the Communications Workers of America Local 1103, the union that represents area dispatchers, questioned the level of training dispatchers have received heading into Wednesday's merger.

"Putting telecommunicators in positions for a town that they have had little cross training is unfair and a blatant disregard for the safety of police officers, fire personnel, EMS personnel, citizens, and anyone traveling through Westport or Fairfield," Sheil said.

In a statement to Patch, Fairfield Police Chief Robert Kalamaras said he expects Wednesday's merger to be seamless, in part because the center was designed to accommodate multiple agencies.

"The Fairfield telecommunicators were exceptional during our transition from our police department into the new center almost one year ago, and we are expecting the same outcome for our Westport partners next week," Kalamaras said.

Added Fairfield Fire Chief Denis McCarthy, "Some of our telecommunicators have been serving in this important capacity for decades, and we have and continue to provide extensive training for all of the stakeholder agencies involved in the merger. We are confident that our telecommunicators will continue to work collaboratively with incoming telecommunicators to effectuate a smooth and harmonious transition in this combined center."

The combined dispatch center is located on the campus of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, and is designed to streamline the process in a centralized facility that will make the handling of emergency calls more efficient.

Sheil said the union does not oppose the merger, but it wants it to be delayed to allow for more training.

Like Kalamaras, Westport Police Chief Foti Koskinas said he is confident the merger will work out well.

"Our telecommunicators are the first line of public safety and the important job that they perform should be commended daily," Koskinas said. "As we commence forward with the merger on March 1st, we only expect to provide a better service to the citizens of the Towns of Fairfield and Westport, with better access to public safety in one combined dispatch center. Our officers, firefighters, and emergency telecommunicators working in conjunction with each other, in one center, will enhance the level of service provided to our communities."

Michael Kronick, Westport's Fire Chief, said the new multi-million-dollar dispatch center will have the most advanced technology, which should make the merger go smoothly.

"We are looking forward to the increased level of service that this new center will provide for all of our public safety partners, and our respective communities," Kronick said. "Dispatch centers have regionalized all over the country, which has proven to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Our goal is to model those centers with the most advanced technology to better serve our communities."