A facility that could be critical for all of Hamilton County in an emergency is planned to take up residence in Fishers.
A project that costs $1 to 1.2 million, a secondary dispatch center would be located at Station 92, 11595 Brooks School Rd.
Town Manager Scott Fadness said the center could be set up in two different ways. Both options mean the center would be switched on and ready to go.
The first option would have it “mothballed,” meaning that no personnel would be working at the center unless disaster befell the main dispatch in Noblesville.
The second option calls for the Fishers center to be staffed, with calls being split between both locations. Noblesville dispatch would take on police calls, the heftier chunk of emergency calls made in Hamilton County. Fishers dispatch would take fire and EMS calls.
In addition to the center, a third back-up for dispatch would be housed at Station 92. Fadness said a bus that functions as a mobile communications center would be that third option.
He said the conversation to have such a dispatch center in Fishers came up because the town was looking into renovating Station 92, making the secondary dispatch both geographically and financially advantageous.
Hamilton County’s secondary dispatch is currently located in Carmel.
“I am not opposed to the backup dispatch center moving to Fishers as it would free up some much needed space for city operations,” Camel Fire Chief Matt Hoffman stated.
A memorandum of understanding would be the next step.
Funding for the project is a little bit more complicated. According to Fadness, Fishers did not pay its share of the six months for dispatch services in 2012 to the county because of plans to build the center. Fishers must pay back $468,000.
Fadness said Carmel, Westfield and Noblesville will pay their share of the secondary dispatch cost to the county first, because Fishers owes the county. The remainder of the cost comes back to Fishers. Fadness said the town may not see money back for two years. What Fishers receives back from those municipalities is dictated by the volume of their calls.
Station 92 was originally intended to close in June.