Purpose

Consolidate regional 9-1-1 services in Lake County in order to provide the highest quality 9-1-1 service and lasting value for the residents of participating communities.

Background

• Nationwide and within the State of Illinois, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP)¹ as well as 9-1-1 Authorities, known as Emergency Telephone Service Boards in Illinois (ETSB)², are consolidating to improve delivery of services and provide greater value to the communities and agencies they support.
• Since 2013, Lake County, through the Lake County ETSB, along with participating Lake County Public Safety Entities has studied whether consolidating more than a dozen independent primary and secondary PSAPs in Lake County could enhance 9-1-1 service.
• An influence on 9-1-1 consolidation has been Illinois Law (50 ILCS 750/15.4a) which directs a county with a population of at least 250,000 and more than one ETSB to consolidate ETSBs such that no 9-1-1 Authority in the county serves a population of less than 25,000 residents.  

Progress

• In April 2017, Lake County and the Lake County ETSB received a report they commissioned (“9-1-1 Consolidation Report”) that concluded PSAP consolidation is a mutually beneficial path for public safety entities in Lake County. The potential benefits of PSAP consolidation include:
  • Reduced call transferring
  • Staffing improvements to provide enhanced coverage for 24/7 operations
  • More consistent and effective service delivery
  • Greater opportunities for interagency response and backup
  • Better data sharing between agencies and responders in the field
  • Enhanced interoperability and ability to share information across jurisdictions
  • Operational savings
  • Reductions in future capital investment
  • Elimination of duplicate technology systems and maintenance agreements
• In Spring of 2018, 21 Lake County public safety entities (PSE’s) agreed through an Inter-governmental Agreement (IGA) to participate in the 9-1-1 Consolidation Implementation Planning Project. The partners are committed to the next phase of 9-1-1 consolidation efforts in Lake County and find it to be in the best interests of the health, safety, and general welfare of not only the residents served by each partner, but all the residents of Lake County.
• The IGA established an interim two-tier governance structure (Governance Committees) to serve as the decision-making body on behalf of all participating entities. The approved governance structure was comprised of a Policy Committee (elected officials, city managers) and an Operations Committee (public safety professionals).
• All participating PSEs have contributed to the 9-1-1 Consolidation Project Fund to cover project costs to include a local project manager and consultant services.
• The IGA between participating PSEs agreed to use Lake County as its administrative agent for entering into contracts, making payments, receiving dues or grants or other revenue, and for providing financial accounting.
• The Governance Committees (Policy and Operations Committees) conducted meetings in accordance with the Illinois Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120/1 et seq. For administrative convenience, Governance Committees use the Lake County meeting notice and agenda system found at lakecounty.legistar.com.
• The 21 PSEs worked together through regular meetings of the Policy Committee, Operations Committee, and various working groups.
• The 9-1-1 Consolidation Implementation Plan was approved by the Governance Committees in December of 2019.
• In May 2021, the Consortium completed a joint request for proposal (RFP) and procurement of a scalable, shared, integrated, enterprise family of systems / software – Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD), mobile data, law enforcement Records Management System (LE RMS), Jail Management System (JMS), Electronic Crash, and E-Ticket Systems - to support 9-1-1 services, emergency dispatch services, and records management for partner municipalities and agencies throughout Lake County. The Lake County ETSB is the Consortium’s Executive Agent for CAD and mobile data contract and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is the Executive Agent for law enforcement RMS, JMS, E-Crash, and E-Ticket contract. View the press release.
• In August 2020, the Consortium unanimously approved extending the original IGA 12-months, through September 6, 2021, in order to continue progress on initiatives in approved Implementation Plan. In September 2021, a second 12-month extension was approved, extending the IGA through September 6, 2022.
• In October 2021, the County Board authorized entering into an agreement for architectural/engineering design services for the proposed Consolidated 911 & Emergency Operations Center on the County campus in Libertyville, Illinois. It will provide co-location space for Lake County 911, Emergency Management Agency (EMA) and the Emergency Telephone Systems Board (ETSB), as well as Consortium Partners. The project design is scheduled to be complete at the end of 2022.
• In August 2022, the 9-1-1 Consolidation Implementation Planning Project (2018 IGA) ended and transitioned to the next phase of consolidation. View the closeout presentation (PDF).
• On September 1, 2022, eight PSAPs from the 9-1-1 Consolidation Implementation Planning Project (2018 IGA) agreed to the next phase of Regional 9-1-1 / PSAP Consolidation in Lake County. View the 2022 PSAP agreement (PDF). 
  
  The eight participating PSAPs committed to develop an Implementing Intergovernmental Agreement (“Implementing IGA”) that establishes a NEW CONSOLIDATED PSAP organization in Lake County to replace and consolidate the PSAPs operated by the Parties to the Agreement. The Implementing IGA will set forth the mechanism for a Lake County public entity (which includes without limitation municipal corporations, fire protection districts, cooperatives formed through intergovernmental agreements, and any of their subsidiary bodies) to become a full partner and receive services from the NEW CONSOLIDATED PSAP organization. View the kickoff presentation (PDF).

• On February 8, 2023, the PSAP Consolidation Committee voted to approve entering into an agreement with Federal Engineering of Fairfax, Virginia to provide PSAP Consolidation Lead Planner / Project Manager consulting services that includes development of a project plan and deliverables, providing options and recommendations by functional area, an implementing IGA and supporting documents and plans, a final report and transition plan, and development of a list of example standard operating procedures.
• On May 31, 2023, a Regional 9-1-1 Consolidation Progress Update and Planning Kickoff meeting was held for Lake County Fire Chiefs, Law Enforcement and Municipal Administrators. The meeting provided updates on construction of the Regional Operations and Communications (ROC) facility and the new CAD and RMS implementation and information and participation opportunities for planning and establishing a new consolidated PSAP organization to include its scope of operations, governance and finances. View the Progress Update and Planning Kickoff meeting presentation (PDF).
• On July 7, 2023, Regional 9-1-1 Consolidation Partners and the Lake County Board joined together to celebrate the groundbreaking of the new Regional Operations and Communications (ROC) Facility. The 37,426 square-foot facility, termed the “ROC” will be built next to the Lake County Central Permit Facility in Libertyville. The facility is designed to house a consolidated PSAP, the County's Emergency Management Agency (LCEMA), and the supporting staff and technologies. It will bring together highly trained experts and state-of-the-art technology to coordinate resources, information, and emergency communications and management all under one roof. It is anticipated that construction will be completed by December 2024. The ROC building is scheduled to open in 2025. Watch a short video of the groundbreaking event.

¹ A primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) is a PSAP to which 9-1-1 calls are routed directly (“9-1-1 Operator”). A secondary PSAP is a PSAP to which 9-1-1 calls are transferred from a primary PSAP (e.g. a separate and/or independent fire, EMS, or law enforcement dispatch center).

² Emergency Telephone System Boards (ETSB) are established pursuant to Section 15.4 of the Local Government Emergency Telephone System Act, 50 ILCS 750/15.4 and are appointed by the corporate authorities of any county or municipality to provide for the management and operation of a 9-1-1 system to include overseeing 9-1-1 surcharge money collected from wireless and wire-line telephones.