The Mendenhall Mayor and Board of Aldermen are exploring options to improve the phone and internet capabilities of City Hall, Mendenhall Police Department, and Mendenhall Fire Department.
During the July Mendenhall Mayor and Board of Aldermen Meeting Fire Chief Brandon Wester requested that the board consider putting a dedicated internet connection at the fire department. He said power glitches happen occasionally around the city, which causes the Fire Department to lose their internet connection.
Wester said without internet the department loses paging capability and it also affects the Police Department’s CAD system. The internet connection for the Fire and Police department are currently linked to City Hall. If City Hall is affected by a power glitch, the internet connection often needs to be reset by a City Hall staff member. Wester expressed his concerns of the system going down in the middle of the night without anyone noticing, leaving the Fire Department blind to any incoming emergencies.
He offered a solution of wiring City Hall into the emergency generator at the Fire Department so it never loses power. He also suggested installing a redundant system linking the police department, City Hall, and fire department. The board acknowledged his request and agreed to explore possible fixes.
During the September meeting Mayor Todd Booth explained that Wester’s request has led the board to consider upgrading the telephone system which will improve the internet. The new system would be completely digital and increase the internet speeds for all three departments. The new system will also allow for interconnectivity between the departments when receiving and transferring calls.
However the power problem still remains. Booth said there is no way to make the switch to digital without first installing an emergency generator at City Hall. Booth said, “We are trying to get the City up to date, but if power is lost it kills internet for all three departments.”
The process is still in the early stages, but the board has decided to address the most important issue and is currently researching quotes on generators. Once the power supply is in place the city will move forward.
