City of Alexandria, Virginia
MEMORANDUM
DATE: JUNE 24, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: RENEE GORDON, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY AND CUSTOMER COMMUNICATIONS
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) for the Public Safety Answering Point Grant Programs for Call Handling Equipment (CHE) Funding.
BODY
ISSUE: Consideration of grant funding from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management to offset cost in the replacement of the outdated 9-1-1 call handling to a cloud-based call handling system for the Department of Emergency and Customer Communications (DECC).
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Retroactively approve the submission of a grant application (applied on May 13, 2025) for up to $300,000; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute the necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The Virginia Department of Emergency Management’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Grant Programs for Call Handling Equipment provides funding for primary PSAP’s in the Commonwealth to replace outdated 9-1-1 call handling equipment hardware, also known as a hardware refresh. The grant provides $300,000 to each primary PSAP participating in a multi-jurisdictional project. Funding is provided on a rolling basis when call handling equipment is due for replacement, which is roughly a 5-year rotation. Funding can be requested 12 months prior to the anticipated replacement date.
DISCUSSION: In September 2019, the City of Alexandria and Arlington County successfully implemented a joint Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) phone system, aimed at enhancing interoperability and increasing the efficiency of 9-1-1 call handling to improve operational standards and strengthen public safety across the region. This joint NG 9-1-1 legacy system is outdated and due for a hardware refresh. DECC intends to use this funding to offset costs in the replacement of the legacy joint 9-1-1 call handling system to a shared cloud-based call handling system.
FISCAL IMPACT: This grant does not require any matching funds. If approved, grant funds will be used to cover the upfront costs for hardware, accessories and implementation. The City will be eligible to apply for future grant funding to support the annual system maintenance costs. If that grant funding is not approved, DECC will reprioritize existing operating funds to continue the cloud-based call handling system.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
STAFF:
Yon Lambert, Deputy City Manager
Tenesia Wells, Deputy Director, DECC
Martina Alexander, Assistant Director of Administration, DECC
Walter Kaplan, Division Chief of Public Safety Communication Systems, DECC