Press Release:
AT&T is experiencing a network service outage affecting the ability to deliver AT&T wireless 9-1-1 calls in our area. AT&T is working to isolate and resolve the issue.
AT&T cell phone users may experience interruptions, degradation, or the inability to connect when calling 9-1-1. In Genesee County, if you have an emergency and cannot get through on 9-1-1, please call (585) 343-5000.
Press release:
Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. announced that the Genesee County Emergency Services Dispatch Center (GCESDC) has implemented a new program called ASAP to PSAP. ASAP stands for Automated Secure Alarm Protocol, and PSAP is Public Safety Answering Point, aka: the Genesee County Emergency Services Dispatch Center.
Alarm monitoring companies can now send notifications electronically to the GCESDC, and that data will automatically be populated into the Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) software. This will eliminate the need for dispatchers to manually enter the information into CAD, which will expedite first responder response times by increasing data accuracy and eliminating miscommunications and the need for unnecessary phone calls between alarm companies and dispatchers.
Traditionally, alarm companies have had to contact the GCESDC by calling the non-emergency phone line to report a burglary, robbery, fire or medical alarm and dispatchers would then have to manually enter the information into the CAD software, which would routinely take 90 - 120 seconds to process. Now, with ASAP to PSAP, that time will be reduced to approximately 5 seconds.
The GCESDC is the 6th PSAP in the State of New York and the 123rd PSAP in the United States to implement ASAP. The GCESDC went live on Monday, March 6, 2023, with several alarm companies, including Vector Security, Rapid Response Monitoring, Johnson Controls (Tyco), Stanley Security, Securitas, Protection One, Security Central, Affiliated Monitoring, Doyle, Guardian Protection, Brinks, Amherst Alarm, United Central Control, Vivint and ADT.
The Automated Secure Alarm Protocol (ASAP) was launched in 2011 as a public-private partnership including the following agencies:
- Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO)
- The Monitoring Association (TMA)
- American National Standards Institute (ANSI) - cooperatively developed protocols used for ASAP.
- International Justice and Public Safety Network (NLETS) – critical life safety signals network.
Replacing a video wall at Genesee County’s Emergency Services Dispatch Center could cost upwards of “a quarter-million dollars,” Frank Riccobono says.
Or, there’s the other option of getting rid of the wall altogether and not spending a dime.
County legislators are leaning towards option B.
Riccobono, director of Emergency Communications, reviewed the issue of the video wall — a relic once used at the dispatch center and is now outdated and therefore of no value to emergency services. The wall had been evaluated for its future, if any, use and expense as the dispatch center is being updated.
Sheriff William Sheron, Riccobono and the IT director determined that the existing video wall should be removed and disposed of. The department has an agreement with Activu, located at 301 Round Hill Drive, Rockaway, NJ, to do the work at no charge to the county.
The county attorney reviewed the agreement and recommended that the county enter into the agreement, and the Ways & Means Committee also agreed to the same at a prior meeting.
Human Services members concurred that it is the best course of action, and voted to move it on for a full Legislature vote.
A video wall projects various data onto screens attached to highly visible walls throughout the center. They come in especially handy during events such as what the county just experienced this past Christmas, Riccobono said.
“Thankfully, we don’t get the events all the time, but we do need these (video walls) when they do happen,” he said. “Typically, the calls we get in a week, we took in two days.”
He said that out of thousands of calls the dispatch center took during Winter Storm Elliott, less than 30 calls were lost when people hung up. Otherwise, dispatchers were able to trace their numbers and track them down.
“I’ve never seen as many people panicked,” Riccobono said. “People were in fear for their lives. Many were woefully unprepared.”
File photo of a county dispatch center video wall, by Howard Owens.
When it comes to recalling scenarios of being a dispatcher, Frank Riccobono came up with one immediately: he was on the phone with the mom of a young girl whose heart had stopped.
He talked the distressed mother through a procedure of moving her daughter to the floor and performing heart compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. It was a nerve-wracking few minutes before the mom cried out. Her daughter was revived.
“The mother was very thankful,” Riccobono said. “I can’t describe the feeling of having that happen, knowing I gave them that.”
While scenes like that are often depicted in TV shows, complete with melodramatic music in the background, they are part of the life of a dispatcher — something that Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron refers to as more than a job, but as a career. And a highly respected and under-credited one at that.
He and Riccobono, a former longtime dispatcher for the city of Batavia and Genesee County and current director of the county’s emergency communications, are hoping to pique the interest of candidates for three full-time dispatcher positions.
The pay has been increased ($22.55 to $28.81 per hour), two part-time positions were merged into a third full-time position to offer benefits and regular hours, the civil service exam fee has been waived, and the exam date has been extended to Jan. 25, all in an effort to get more people to apply.
So why aren’t they?
It’s a phenomenon that’s been occurring over the last couple of years, Sheron said. It’s not exactly novel, as many employers are bemoaning the same complaint as they continuously search for qualified candidates to fill a variety of jobs. And job duties for dispatchers include a certain level of stress, multi-tasking, knowledge, quick-thinking, and decision-making skills, he said. Plus, it’s emergency services, which signals a 24/7, 365 days a year operation of nights, weekends and holidays.
So why should they?
There were hundreds of stranded motorists buried in snow, and dispatchers were their only course of survival, as a link to responders out on the roads searching for them.
“We were able to direct emergency responders to their location,” Riccobono said. “That’s the most rewarding, just knowing I gave them the best chance of survival.”
Not that dispatchers are always in crisis mode. They also get the more mundane calls, such as reports of a minor traffic accident or a missing dog. But with each call, there’s an opportunity to make a difference, Riccobono said. He remembered when he began with the Batavia Police Department.
“My first week, there was a bank robbery, a high-speed pursuit and a SIDS death,” he said. “And I thought, ‘what did I get myself into?’ I’ve had people die on the phone. The good days outweigh the bad days.”
They’re unsung heroes.
That’s how Sheron describes dispatchers, those employees working behind the scenes taking calls from individuals and connecting them to the various multitudes of emergency service providers throughout Genesee County to get them the help they need.
He gives credit to all emergency service responders, for sure, with differences being those that are on scene and those behind the scenes. When asked who makes for a good dispatcher, Sheron was stymied by a foolproof description. There have been candidates that were perfect on paper, but then when put to the test, they didn’t follow through as their qualities promised. And then those that seemed to be too quiet and unassuming for the position nailed it, he said.
“Sometimes it takes a little longer, and you become comfortable after you’ve been through situations,” he said. “They orchestrate everything that goes on. It’s a very rewarding career, steady employment. They’re the unsung heroes.”
For more information about applying for a dispatcher position, see the related press release.
Top file photo of the Emergency Dispatch Center on Park Road in Batavia, by Howard Owens; and county photos of Frank Riccobono, and William Sheron, above.
The exam deadline has been extended to apply for one of the three open full-time emergency services dispatcher positions, Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron says. That date is now Jan. 25, and Sheron urges anyone with interest to apply for the Civil Service exam.
Hourly salary is from $22.55 to $28.81, and there will be a probationary period of eight to 52 weeks based on performance of duties. Candidates must be legal residents of Genesee, Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans or Wyoming County at the time of examination and for at least two months prior to the date of the examination, which is Feb. 25.
It takes about three months from the time of the test for the results to come in, and the top three scores are selected for hire and paid training of 16 weeks before beginning their duties independently on the dispatch floor at the Park Road facility in Batavia.
Typical work activities include:
Press Release:
“The timing of this exam could not be better,” stated Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. “We have all heard about the heroic actions and importance of first responders during the historic Blizzard of 2022. The Genesee County Emergency Services Dispatch Center handled 3,216 calls and 953 distinct calls for service over a two-day span! This was one of the busiest emergency events in the history of Genesee County. Our Emergency Services Dispatchers played a crucial role in meeting the tremendous demands presented throughout the blizzard that undoubtedly saved the lives of numerous individuals.”
Currently, there are three full-time Emergency Services Dispatcher vacancies that the department is looking to fill. In order to be considered for this position, applicants must take the civil service exam, which is only given approximately every two years.
"I highly encourage anyone that has an interest in being an E911 first responder to sign up to take the exam," Sheron said. "An Emergency Services Dispatcher is an extremely rewarding first responder career."
To read related coverage, click on Seeking a few unsung heroes
If you have any questions about this position, please feel free to contact Frank Riccobono, Director of
Emergency Communications, at 585-345-3000, Ext. 3429. Please click on the recruitment video link
which will provide a glimpse into what this career involves. We look forward to welcoming you to our family.The deadline to apply to take the open competitive Genesee County civil service exam is Jan. 25. To get an application, stop in or send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to Genesee County Human Resources, County Building I, 15 Main St., Batavia, NY, 14020, call 344-2550, Ext. 2221 or go HERE.
To watch a dispatcher in action, click this recruiting video.
Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr. announces the promotion of Francis A. Riccobono to Director of Emergency Communications of the Genesee County Emergency Services Dispatch Center. Director Riccobono assumed his new duties on October 29, 2022.Director Riccobono has over 31 years of experience in Genesee County emergency dispatching services, having begun his dispatching career with the City of Batavia Police Department in 1991, and transitioning to the Genesee County consolidated dispatch center in 2008. In 2019, he was appointed Assistant Director of Emergency Communications/Operations. During his tenure, he has been awarded two Commendations.
“Director Riccobono’s vast amount of emergency services experience is a very valuable asset to Genesee County,” stated Sheriff Sheron.
In an email to The Batavian, Sheron confirmed Sharpe's resignation but did not address a question about why he resigned.
"Search for his replacement will begin shortly," Sheron said. "There will be no interruption to dispatch services."
The Batavian did not attempt to contact Sharpe until after hours. This post will be updated with any response we receive.
Sharpe was instrumental in migrating the Emergency Dispatch Center to the Phase II P-25 TDMA system radio system installed by Harris RF in 2013.
In 2016, Sharpe, an Air Force veteran, was named PSAP (Public Safety Access Point) Finest Director of the Year award. The award was sponsored by emergency communications company NICE.
Press release:
In 1991, a formal Congressional resolution acknowledged the vital role that telecommunicators play in emergency situations by proclaiming the second week in April as a week of annual recognition in their honor. National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week is a time to thank these men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving the public. Last year, Governor Hochul signed a bill designating “first responder” status to all 911 operators and dispatchers across New York State, recognizing that they are the first responders of first responders.
Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron, Jr., along with the Genesee County Legislature and all emergency first responders, recognize these public safety professionals for their continued dedication, professionalism, and commitment to public service. The Genesee County Legislature will be issuing a proclamation at its Wednesday night meeting recognizing April 10 – 16, 2022, as National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week. The lights on the Old County Courthouse cupola will be changed to red, white and blue to acknowledge this week.
Emergency Services 9-1-1 Dispatchers are there 24/7, 365 days a year for police, fire and emergency medical personnel and the public in time of need. Many people do not think about these seemingly nameless, faceless individuals until they experience actual emergencies themselves. In many instances, Dispatchers make the difference between life and death. Typically, over 80,000 events are dispatched yearly, a daily average of 219, and over 100,000 telephone calls are handled, which is an average of 273 calls per day. The Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center (Public Safety Answering Point-PSAP) is comprised of 25 men and women who dispatch to 5 local police agencies/New York State Police; 19 fire departments/Emergency Management Service; 3 ambulance services; as well as 41 other local, county, regional, state, and federal agencies.
“Everyday citizens depend on the skill, expertise and commitment of the 9-1-1 Dispatchers. They are the first to take that phone call; the first to provide basic life support in a medical emergency; and also the first to dispatch needed fire, police or EMS responders for the call. They are to be recognized and commended during this very special week. I would like to personally extend my sincere appreciation for their hard work and dedication. They are truly unsung heroes in our community,” stated Sheriff Sheron.
Although word of a $700,033 award from the Statewide Interoperable Communications Grant program came much later than expected, news that the funds have been released will allow Genesee County to receive reimbursement of expenses connected to a major communications tower project in the Town of Attica.
“The … award was anticipated as part of our 2021 Communications operational budget and our Molasses Hill Public Safety Communications Tower Capital Improvement Project,” said Steven Sharpe, director of Emergency Communications for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. “We received the award letter from the State of New York (on Thursday), and we plan to present a resolution to the (Genesee County) Legislature to accept the grant.”
Sharpe, responding via email from The Batavian, said the performance period of the grant began on January 1st of this year.
In March, prior to the release of the funds, he requested a reallocation of $301,833.67 in unexpended money and unanticipated revenue from the county in the form of a resolution – which eventually was passed – to advance the public safety capital project that included the building of a communications tower on Molasses Hill Road (located just over the Wyoming County line).
Sharpe said the county has “current eligible expenditures that we will seek immediate reimbursement upon approval of the grant contract with the State.”
“The expenditures included tower heating, ventilation and air conditioning repairs; microwave line dehydrator replacements; microwave power plant replacements; tower lease payments; tower utilities; public safety radio system maintenance, and costs associated with the new tower.”
The grant was authorized as part of the 2019-20 fiscal year state budget, Sharpe said, and “brings (the county) up to date on existing costs.”
He said he will work with the state to expedite funding for 2022, using the 2020-21 fiscal year SICG – Formula authorization.
The three other GLOW counties received funding from this grant as well, with Livingston getting $612,806; Orleans $526,529 and Wyoming $422,761. All told, the state released $45 million in SICG grants during this cycle.
According to a press release from the state:
This funding will enable local governments to expand their ability to communicate, exchange valuable data, and streamline information to enhance collaboration and assist first responders.
The SICG, which is administered by the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, has awarded $472 million to municipalities over nine rounds since December 2011. The grant is formula based and funded by cellular surcharge revenue.
The program has allowed counties to make vital improvements in the way first responders can communicate between each other and different regions of the state using land mobile radio systems.
Submitted photos: Views of the Molasses Hill Tower.
Previously: Reallocation of funds moves Genesee's public safety communications tower project forward
From Director Steven C. Sharpe of Genesee County Emergency Communications:
The landline 9-1-1 service degradation impacting service areas in Le Roy, Bergen and Pavilion has been resolved.
If anyone experiences issues dialing 9-1-1 from the affected areas, please contact the Director of Emergency Communications Steven C. Sharpe at (585) 345-3000, ext. 3400.
From Genesee County Emergency Communications Director Steven C. Sharpe:
The following telephone exchanges are experiencing audio problems when dialing 9-1-1 from a Frontier landline service:
If you have an emergency, we advise the public to call 9-1-1 from a wireless / cellular phone. We can still process wireless calls from these service areas.
If you do not have access to a wireless / cellular device, please contact the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center at (585) 343-5000.
Press release:
Today, Senator Ed Rath called on the Department of Budget (DOB) to release critical funding grants for emergency services. Senator Rath was joined by Assemblyman Steve Hawley, Genesee County Legislature Chair Rochelle Stein, Undersheriff Brad Mazur, Genesee County Director of Emergency Communications Steven Sharpe, members of the Genesee County Legislature and members of the 911 Advisory Board.
“The delay in the release of this funding for our communities is extremely damaging," Senator Rath said. "As ranking member on the Senate Local Government’s Committee, I know the extreme duress many of our counties are under as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. For the State to be delaying the release of this funding, with no end in sight, is completely unacceptable.
"We need to be working with our counties and local governments, not adding unnecessary burdens. Unfortunately, this seems to be all too typical for our State. I am calling on the Department of Budget to release these grants (2020-21) and inform our counties when they will be able to apply for the current fiscal year’s grants (2021-22)."
Assemblyman Hawley said: "Our heroes of healthcare have been working dutifully throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure emergency services were not overwhelmed or interrupted during the highly contested time. To see that our 9-1-1 services are now under threat of being underfunded is unacceptable, and the State needs to take immediate action to ensure that our emergency telecommunications are not stifled."
"County governments must work alongside the State to ensure the funding needs are met for these important emergency services," said Genesee County Legislator Gregg Torrey, Human Services chair. “I want to thank Senator Rath and Assemblyman Hawley for fighting to secure our fair share of critical 9-1-1 funding which is needed to support our County Public Safety operations."
Genesee County Legislator Gary Maha, Public Service chair, said: "We have been fighting this battle for years through the New York State Sheriffs’ Association, the New York State 911 Coordinators Association and the New York State Association of Counties. It is time the Governor stops using these funds for other purposes than 9-1-1 services."
"The delay in releasing already collected 9-1-1 surcharge revenue money could cost Genesee County over $500k in the 2021 budget," said L. Matthew Landers, Genesee County manager, budget officer. "While we have long been advocating that a greater share of the collected surcharge go to the intended recipients, namely emergency communications operations such as the Genesee County Dispatch Center, this recent delay in funding is unexplainable and undermines emergency communications operations across the State."
Emergency Communications Director Sharpe, of the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, and NYS 911 Coordinators Legislative Committee chair, said: “Over the past year, our first responder community needed to address the pandemic while continuing to provide emergency services to the public.
"Our friends at the Department of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Office of Interoperable and Emergency Communications (DHSES/OIEC) have been excellent partners by assisting local communities setting up communications for testing sites, emergency clinics, and now mass vaccination sites. DHSES/OIEC also hosted teleconferences for local and county partners to discuss best practices during the pandemic.
"Unfortunately, the State of New York has not honored their commitments regarding grant funding. Counties provide a majority of public safety answering point (9-1-1 center) services throughout the State and also administer a majority of public safety communications systems. During this pandemic, the State has inexplicably halted and delayed grant funding despite the funding stream for those grants increasing during the pandemic.
"We are asking our partners at the State to honor their words, obey the laws of the State of New York, execute the law in a timely manner, and release the grant funding that is now above a year overdue."
The State has yet to release the 2020-21 grant funding or the application information for 2021-22.
When looking at the minimum qualifications and the amount of training that go into shaping a successful emergency dispatcher and pairing that with the competence required in taking a 9-1-1 call, it certainly is puzzling that these professionals are classified by New York State and the federal government as “clerical” workers.
That is the thinking of Director Steven Sharpe, Assistant Director Frank Riccobono and the staff at the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center, who are applauding companion bills recently introduced in the state Senate and Assembly to change the classification of dispatchers.
“It’s really all about classifying people according to the labor that they perform,” said Sharpe, in support of the bill that would designate public safety dispatchers, emergency responders, emergency operators, emergency complaint operators, and emergency service dispatchers as “certified first responders.”
Sharpe said that the Genesee County Legislature passed a resolution backing this change when it was considered at the federal level, and “obviously, we would support it at the state level if the state decided to follow suit.”
“What we’re trying to do is to change our classification at the state and federal levels as being first responders – because that is what we are,” Sharpe said. “We’re the first ones on the scene, although remotely, as we have the ability as dispatch staff to dramatically impact the life safety of callers.”
Sharpe said dispatchers have delivered babies, helped people perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation over the phone and helped stabilize a heart attack victim by giving instructions on the administration of aspirin – all over the phone.
“A lot of this stuff happens before first responders have a chance to get there. We work hand-in-hand with our first responders so when they get there, we have hopefully have kept the situation stabilized or made it better while they were traveling to the scene,” he added. “And when they get there, they pick up the pieces where we left off.”
Riccobono: The Job has Changed Dramatically
Riccobono, a dispatcher for more than 30 years, said a key point is recognizing dispatchers for the job they perform.
“I’m sure when the federal government classified dispatchers many years ago, it probably was more clerical,” he said. “The job has changed dramatically since then. Training was five weeks long. Dispatchers now go through typically about a 16-week program and they go through another four to six weeks of on-the-job training. I think most people would agree that that’s more than what a typical clerk would go through.”
Dispatchers may not be at the scene, but they are hearing and providing information to the first responders and from the caller to keep everyone safe, Riccobono offered.
“We’ve had many recent incidents where the dispatcher was instrumental in keeping the person safe. A few years ago, we had an active shooting in the Indian Falls area and the dispatcher was instrumental in instructing the people where to go to keep them safe and an incident just last year where a dispatcher had to tell a person, essentially, to jump out the window when the perpetrator was literally breaking the door down,” he said.
“It’s truly amazing the job that dispatchers do. And this is no disrespect to any clerk position, but you're comparing apples and oranges.”
Riccobono supervises four senior dispatchers – Robert Tripp, John Spencer, Mike Sheflin and Jason Holman – as well as 14 full-time and four part-time dispatchers at the county Emergency Dispatch Center on Park Road.
Dispatchers answer, process and maintain the county’s Enhanced 9-1-1 Emergency Telephone System*, and answer all seven-digit nonemergency and administration lines for all law enforcement agencies within Genesee County. That’s a total of 27 local police, fire and emergency medical agencies, 22 municipalities, other police agencies and the general public.
Dispatchers Share Their Experiences
Tripp and dispatcher Beth Hynes, both with 19 years of experience at the dispatch center, agreed that the job requires the ability to multitask, process information quickly and accurately, and to stay calm under stressful circumstances.
“When people call us, they’re looking for help and looking for someone to respond – whether they’re having a bad day or having fights or need of medical services. A secretary can’t send that,” Hynes said, “whereas we take the information and give them appropriate help as quickly as possible. We are pretty much the first link in the chain of emergency services. It comes to us first and then we proceed to give it out to medical, fire department or police services.”
Hynes said dispatchers are dealing with more domestic violence situations today “because it was always that dirty, little secret that you didn’t hear about that now is coming to the forefront.”
“People with cell phones – they see things – where you have the people involved who are not reporting things but the witnesses are reporting things and we’re responding to that,” she explained. “There’s a lot more violence on the street as well.”
She said she took part in the delivery of a child by a police officer in the City of Batavia.
“A person was in labor, coming from Orleans County driving to the hospital in Batavia and they got to Oak and Richmond and they had to pull over,” she recalled. “I didn’t actually instruct them how to give birth but I heard it as he laid the phone next to the mom. Then the police pulled up and delivered the baby. But I was kind of there. That’s the closest I’ve come (to delivering a baby).”
Tripp said he has taken calls where the person on the other end of the line is suicidal.
“Those hit the nerve the most,” he said. “It kind of gives you that sense of importance, if you will, especially if you are successful in preventing someone from taking their life. Sometimes we’re not so fortunate, but we’re that first line for anybody who needs assistance, whether it’s something medical or fire or somebody that just needs someone to talk to because they don’t where else to go. We take those calls, day in and day out.”
Tripp said dispatchers take an average of 100 to 150 calls per day on his 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift alone. Statistics from the sheriff’s office show that in the first quarter of 2021, the dispatch center fielded 18,457 calls.
Classifying dispatchers as first responders would afford a “sense of respect” to the position, Tripp said.
“We work hard and we’re directly involved in emergency services and we have some sort of effect on that incident,” he said. “Plus, this job is ever-evolving as new technology has resulted in new complaints, such as the unemployment fraud that we’re seeing now that wasn’t around 10 years ago.”
Extensive Training is a Requirement
After placing in the top three on the Civil Service list, prospective dispatchers have to pass several physical and psychological tests before entering into 14 to 16 weeks of an initial in-house training program and four to six weeks of additional on-the-job training.
Riccobono said that outside training is provided through the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials and International Academies of Emergency Dispatch. Plus, dispatchers have to be certified in CPR and automated external defibrillator, and are required to take part in up to 50 hours of annual in-service training.
As far as the job classification, Sharpe said he thinks some of the reason this change hasn’t received an overwhelming amount of support is because people may think that dispatchers are seeking an economic boost.
“All it does is say they’re classifying folks as first responders,” he said. “Right now, looking at the state of finances in New York State, I don’t think there would be a large enough push to change the retirement system. That’s not what this legislation is all about.”
Sharpe said seeking a change is not a matter of disparaging the clerical profession.
“What we do is we impact life safety over the phone. And, with that comes the stress,” he said. “Sometimes people forget we’re the first ones on the scene. We’re not physically there but we’re there remotely and we’re experiencing those emotions, and we have to deal with that emotional content.”
*Enhanced 911, E-911 or E911 is a system used in North America to automatically provide caller's location to 9-1-1 dispatchers. 911 is the universal emergency telephone number in the region.
Photo at top: Robert Tripp, Beth Hynes and Frank Riccobono at the Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center on Park Road. Photo by Mike Pettinella.
The City of Batavia this week honored a longtime police officer who recently retired and recognized the contributions of Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center personnel.
City Council President Eugene Jankowski and Council Member Jeremy Karas, at Monday night's Business Meeting, read proclamations honoring Police Officer Jason Davis and designating the week of April 11-17 as National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, respectively.
Davis retired on March 30 after nearly 22 years with the Batavia Police Department. Previously, he worked for the Village of Le Roy PD and Cattaraugus County Sheriff’s Office.
The proclamation noted his many roles, including the emergency response team, crime intervention officer, field training officer, general topics instructor, de-escalation instructor and, most recently, school resource officer at the Batavia City School District.
He also was a Boy Scout Troop leader for many years.
Per the proclamation, Officer Davis “served his department with professionalism and compassion, and has been a positive role model and mentor to other officers and many more in the community."
Davis thanked all those with the city for giving him the opportunity in 1999 when he transferred to Batavia.
Karas, after reading the proclamation that outlined the various ways communications staff and dispatchers are vital to public safety, introduced Genesee County Undersheriff Brad Mazur (at right in photo below) and Communications Assistant Director Frank Riccobono (at left in photo below).
Mazur thanked City Council for acknowledging the dispatchers' "hard work, dedication and true professionalism."
Photos by Mike Pettinella.
Press release:
In 1991, a formal Congressional resolution acknowledged the vital role that telecommunicators play in emergency situations by proclaiming the second week in April as a week of annual recognition in their honor.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week is a time to thank these men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving the public.
Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr., along with the Genesee County Legislature and all emergency first responders, recognize these public safety professionals for their continued dedication, professionalism, and commitment to public service.
The Genesee County Legislature will be issuing a proclamation at its Wednesday night meeting recognizing April 11 – 17 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week. The lights on the Old County Courthouse cupola will be changed to red, white and blue to acknowledge this week.
Emergency Services 9-1-1 Dispatchers are there 24/7, 365 days a year for first responders and the public in time of need. Many people do not think about these seemingly nameless, faceless individuals until they experience actual emergencies themselves. In many instances, Dispatchers make the difference between life and death.
Typically, more than 80,000 events are dispatched yearly in Genesee County, a daily average of 219, and more than 100,000 telephone calls are handled, which is an average of 273 calls per day.
The Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center (Public Safety Answering Point-PSAP) is comprised of 25 men and women who dispatch to five local police agencies/New York State Police; 19 fire departments/Emergency Management Service; three ambulance services; as well as 41 other local, county, regional, state, and federal agencies.
“Everyday citizens depend onthe skill, expertise and commitment of the 9-1-1 dispatchers," said Sheriff Sheron. "They are the first to take that phone call; the first to provide basic life support in a medical emergency; and also the first to dispatch needed fire, police or EMS responders for the call.
They are to be recognized and commended during this very special week. I would like to personally extend my sincere appreciation for their hard work and dedication. They are truly unsung heroes in our community."
The director of Emergency Communications for the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office is getting his ducks in a row, calling upon the Genesee County Legislature to appropriate funds to advance a public safety capital project that includes the building of a communications tower on Molasses Hill Road in the Town of Attica.
Speaking at the legislature’s Ways & Means Committee meeting Wednesday, Steven Sharpe presented a resolution that calls for the reallocation of $301,835.67 in unexpended funds and unanticipated revenue to the public safety communications tower project.
“As we are building the tower on Molasses Hill Road, which is just over the Wyoming County line, we’d like to move money from the original capital project for the radio system that was created in 2013, and move the balance of funds from that 2013 capital project into the more recent public safety communications tower project,” Sharpe said.
He indicated that the Molasses Hill site will fill “a dramatic hole that we’ve had since we put the 800-megahertz system back in in 1991 as we’ve always had problems along Route 98 and along Route 238 going into Attica.”
Sharpe said a settlement involving Nextel has resulted in an additional $255,243.86 in unanticipated revenue coming into the county. The resolution also includes the sum of $46,591.81 that has yet to be spent from the 2020 communications operational budget and the 2013 800-megahertz radio upgrade capital project.
The Ways & Means Committee approved the measure, which now goes before the entire legislative body on Wednesday.
Sharpe said the total cost of the project is $1.9 million, which is about $200,000 more than what is currently in the capital project budget. But, he added, that he is waiting to hear about funding from the Statewide Interoperability Communications Grant program and that the $1.9 million figure includes “some contingencies in case we run into something that we don’t expect.”
“Right now, this allows us to make sure we’re paying the bills until that next round of money comes in, and once we have that money we will reimburse against it,” he explained, adding that grants will cover most of the project cost.
When asked about the timeline of the Molasses Hill work, Sharpe said language is in the contract to have the tower connected to the radio system network by April 30.
“They have to have the microwave equipment completely done by August 6th and we’re hoping that once they’re connected to Darien and we’re talking to the network, we’re going to start optimization in May or June,” he said. “We’re looking at doing coverage analysis in June and July so we have full coverage of the trees, make any adjustments in August and final acceptance, hopefully, in September …”’
The committee approved a second resolution that authorizes amending a “zero dollar” lease agreement with American Tower Asset Sub LLC, of Woburn, Mass., to upgrade the public safety radio system equipment on a tower on South Lake Road in Pavilion.
Sharpe said this is necessary because the Cedar Street (Batavia) tower is overloaded.
The County is changing its originally planned microwave link from Darien to Molasses Hill to Cedar, which would have reused an existing microwave link.
“Instead what we’re doing now is going from Darien to Molasses Hill to Pavilion,” he said. “What that does is allows us to have a parallel path for our radio system, and in the future as we have to do any work or upgrade or replace the Cedar Street, we won’t have to take the whole network down and we’ll still have a parallel path.”
He said the lease agreement gives the county greater flexibility.
“Back in 1998, the town and the county had the wisdom, as far as zoning rules, to negotiate for free access for our equipment on that tower. There are some minor costs, such as structural analysis and if we have to change the tension on those guy wires,” he said.
Sharpe said there are nine towers in Genesee County, one in Albion that connects to the Orleans County system and one in Chili that connects to the Monroe County system.
“Verizon just built a tower on Hundredmark Road in the Town of Elba, so that might be a future site, which would give us 10 sites within the county that are transmit sites to go along with our two dispatch centers at 14 West Main Street in the city and one at the dispatch center on Park Road,” he said.
Press release:
Emergency Services Dispatcher Lynn B. Riccobono, a 27-year veteran of the Sheriff’s Office, has retired effective last Thursday, Jan. 21, 2021. Riccobono started her career with the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office on March 8, 1983.
Through her career, Dispatcher Riccobono has earned several awards including six Commendation Awards, a Certificate of Appreciation, and a Meritorious Award for continuous excellence.
She spent the majority of her career working overnights serving the citizens of Genesee County while most were sleeping. For those needing emergency care, Dispatcher Riccobono was the voice at the other end of the line doing her best to keep callers calm while dispatching the needed urgent care.
“Emergency Services Dispatcher Lynn B. Riccobono has demonstrated great professionalism throughout her 27 years of employment,” Sheriff Sheron said. “Everyone here at the Sheriff’s Office wishes her all the best for her future.”
Emergency Services Dispatcher Exam
The open competitive Genesee County Civil Service Exam for the position of Emergency Services Dispatcher is being given Jan. 16.
Please visit the Genesee County website for a full job description, minimum qualifications, and instructions on how to submit your application by the deadline of Dec. 9.
Press release:
In 1991, a formal Congressional resolution acknowledged the vital role that telecommunicators play in emergency situations by proclaiming the second week in April as a week of annual recognition in their honor. National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week is a time to thank these men and women who have dedicated their lives to serving the public.
Genesee County Sheriff William A. Sheron Jr. along with the Genesee County Legislature and all emergency first responders recognize these public safety professionals for their continued dedication, professionalism and commitment to public service.
The Genesee County Legislature issued a proclamation at its Wednesday night meeting recognizing April 12 – 18 as National Public Safety Telecommunicators’ Week. The lights on the Old County Courthouse cupola will be changed to red, white and blue to acknowledge this week.
Emergency Services 9-1-1 Dispatchers are there 24/7, 365 days a year for first responders and the public in time of need. Many people do not think about these seemingly nameless, faceless individuals until they experience actual emergencies themselves.
In many instances, Dispatchers make the difference between life and death. More than 89,445 events were dispatched in 2019, a daily average of 245, and over 115,114 telephone calls were handled last year which is an average of 315 calls per day.
The Genesee County Emergency Dispatch Center (Public Safety Answering Point-PSAP) is comprised of 25 men and women who dispatch to five local police agencies/New York State Police; 19 fire departments/Emergency Management Service; three ambulance services; as well as 41 other local, county, regional, state, and federal agencies.
“Everyday citizens depend on the skill, expertise and commitment of the 9-1-1 dispatchers," Sheron said. "They are the first to take that phone call; the first to provide basic life support in a medical emergency; and also the first to dispatch needed fire, police or EMS responders for the call.
"They are to be recognized and commended during this very special week. I would like to personally extend my sincere appreciation for their hard work and dedication. They are truly unsung heroes in our community."
In 30 years as an emergency dispatcher, Steve Robinson has probably handled every imaginable kind of call, first with the City of Batavia and later with the Sheriff's Office -- lost cats, petit larcenies, fires, train derailments, overdoses, homicides, and everything in between.
It's a tough job but on the night of his final shift, he said he is glad he chose the job he did as a young man.
"It's been an amazing career," Robinson said. "I've made a lot of friends -- with other dispatchers, judges, DAs, police officers, EMS, fire -- everybody involved in the whole process. I couldn't have asked for a better career for 30 years. It's not pretty sometimes. We deal with a lot of unpleasant stuff, but we get through it and I appreciate everybody I've worked with, and I've gotten a lot of help over the years."
To be a good dispatcher, Robinson said, you have to be able to multitask. You can find yourself dealing with a police officer on the radio about one call while taking an emergency call from an unrelated incident on 9-1-1.
"There is a lot of activity in the room and you can't rely on somebody else to answer your phone for you," Robinson said.
And because you're sometimes dealing with people in duress, at the worse time of their lives, or who are angry, you have to have good people skills to be a good dispatcher. You have to be able to stay calm, talk people through their situations and ensure first responders are kept safe.
"The people I work with, not just the dispatchers, but the first responders, we have a bond because nobody else understands what we do," Robinson said. "In this job, unless you do it, you can't understand what we deal with and that is what bonds us."
In retirement, Robinson will still be around, and not far from the career he's loved. He will continue to work part time for Batavia PD as a desk clerk.
"I'll keep a hand in the business," Robinson said. "I'm not totally walking away."
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