On Monday, Hawai'i County celebrated a significant leap in emergency response infrastructure with the dedication and blessing of a new Emergency Call Center in Hilo. After years of expectation and planning, officials unveiled the 17,127-square-foot facility on Mohouli Street, designed to bring police and fire dispatch under a single roof. "After decades of planning, we now have a state-of-the-art facility where our Police and Fire dispatchers can work side by side," said Mayor Kimo Alameda in a statement obtained by the Hawaii Police Department. The facility's introduction is timely, as it coincides with National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
The new Emergency Call Center is no ordinary building; it costs $31 million and is crafted to weather the most extreme conditions, including earthquakes and hurricanes. A plethora of amenities, such as a conference room, briefing and training rooms, cafeteria, workout room, and even locker rooms, complete with bathrooms and showers, ensure that the facility meets the demands of 24/7 operations. The Hawaii Police Department highlights that the newly built center can house 13 police communications consoles and nine fire communications consoles, catering to current needs and allowing room for future growth.
Police Chief Benjamin Moszkowicz and Fire Chief Kazuo Todd expressed their enthusiasm for the improved collaboration between their departments. "It’s an amazing opportunity to see this come to fruition," Chief Todd told Hawaii Police Department. He further articulated his eagerness to see the departments work together in serving the public and striving for the best possible outcomes. Completing the ceremony, Mayor Alameda read a proclamation, Council Chairman Dr. Holeka Goro Inaba provided a certificate, and a plaque was presented by the Daniel R. Sayre Memorial Foundation, recognizing their contribution of gym equipment for the facility.
Crucial to the project's success was the input from the dispatchers who will call the center their professional home. Plans for separate areas for police and fire personnel were scrapped when, since May 2023, a temporary arrangement saw both teams working harmoniously in a shared space. This resulted in an integrated layout based on the dispatchers' expertise and preferences. "It was a wonderful development because their suggestions were able to be incorporated into the final design, making it truly theirs based on their experience and needs," explained Chief Moszkowicz, according to the Hawaii Police Department. The original dispatch facilities will now serve as a secondary dispatch center, ensuring continuous operation in any eventuality.
