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Des Plaines considers joining RED Center (more)
In an ongoing debate over the future of Des Plaines’ 911 emergency dispatch system, Rebecca Brink, a veteran dispatcher and union representative, is rallying support to keep the current Des Plaines Emergency Communications Center (DPECC) operational. Brink has been distributing flyers to highlight potential downsides of shifting fire dispatch services to the Regional Emergency Dispatch (RED) Center in Northbrook, emphasizing that these concerns should prompt residents to attend the upcoming city council meeting on September 3rd. Her aim is to sway aldermen against proceeding with the proposed move, which the city sees as a way to save around $133,272 annually.
RED focuses exclusively on fire dispatching, meaning police dispatch would remain at the DPECC, housed within city hall. The police department is exploring alternatives like joining another dispatch center or maintaining operations independently at DPECC. Interestingly, Park Ridge shares Des Plaines' use of the DPECC and would need to transition alongside Des Plaines for the new arrangement to work. Park Ridge's city council recently gave the move their approval, though Morton Grove and Niles decided earlier this year to exit the DPECC.
If Des Plaines were to move to RED, Brink argues that the current dispatchers would first handle incoming calls and then forward fire-related incidents to RED, potentially causing delays of up to 45 seconds due to the need for both centers to verify caller details. Based on random call reviews, she contends this delay could compromise response times. In contrast, Fire Chief Alan Wax suggests that most towns working with RED simply transfer calls immediately upon identifying a fire incident, adding only a few seconds, which he claims is compensated for by RED’s overall efficiency.
Brink further insists that the city should allocate $1.3 million toward upgrading the DPECC’s outdated equipment instead. She feels previous administrations neglected to prepare for these necessary upgrades under the former director, Sherrill Ornberg. Wax acknowledges past shortcomings but points out they were decisions made by DPECC’s leadership at the time.
Another argument Brink raises is the benefit of keeping police and fire dispatch centralized, allowing for seamless coordination between departments—essentially a matter of shouting across the room. Wax counters that communication with RED dispatchers might take a few extra seconds via phone calls, yet he maintains this is outweighed by RED’s superior efficiency and experience in managing large-scale emergencies. Wax also lauds RED as the top fire dispatch operation in the state, stating their goal is to deliver high-quality service at a reduced cost.
Currently, the DPECC workforce has dropped to just over 25 members, including 17 dispatchers, amid uncertainty over its future. Both the director and deputy director have resigned in recent months, though Brink insists efforts are being made to ensure citizen service remains unaffected. Initially, the city council planned to vote on the switch to RED last week but postponed the decision until September 3rd to allow more time for gathering input from Brink and others. Brink is determined to demonstrate that her team can match RED’s performance, saying, “We’ve worked together with Park Ridge since 1992. Our opinion is we’re just as good as them.â€
Thanks for sharing, Dan. It’s clear there’s a lot riding on this decision, especially given the financial implications and the potential impact on emergency response times. I hope the council carefully considers all perspectives before making a final call.