C3: Saving money and lives

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. David J. Tart
  • 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Four members of Team XL were recently recognized for saving Laughlin more than $675,000 while updating vital infrastructure in the process.

Lamar Thomas, 47th Communication Squadrons flight chief, and his team of three received a certificate from Col. Tom Murphy, 47th Flying Training Wing commander, Tuesday, Feb. 5, commending their efforts.

Thomas and his team, in coordination with the 47th Civil Engineering Squadron, 47th FTW legal office and the state of Texas were able to secure a deal that would install a Public Safety Answering Point here at Laughlin. Currently all emergency calls made on Laughlin have to be routed through the City of Del Rio and then back to Laughlin first responders.

"This is a system I have been working to update since I got here in 2010," said Thomas. "As technology has changed the system has become outdated and like any old thing, it has begun to malfunction."

Thomas explained, that calls that used to be made would end up going to the wrong places. There were other issues as well; under the old system if you called in an emergency from base and didn't tell the dispatcher your location they had no way of knowing where you were located. The new system will be able to pinpoint where you are from both land lines and cell phones, while on base.

"With estimates ranging from $400,000 to $900,000 for the price of a new system, funding was just not available," said Thomas. "So we had to start looking for alternative solutions and found that the state of Texas would fund this project."

Using the Middle Rio Grande Development Council as the liaison between the base and the state, Thomas was able to produce documentation that entailed everything the state would be able to do for the installation and maintenance of this new PSAP system.

"It goes beyond the $675,000 that was originally quoted for all the equipment, installation and five-year maintenance plan," said Thomas. "The state is covering the equipment costs, installation, and maintenance of the system for the foreseeable future. Additionally the state is picking up the cost of the dedicated phone line this system requires to run which currently costs the base $1,848 a month."

This document has now become a template for all bases in Texas, explained Thomas. All bases that want to update their PSAP can use what we did here at Laughlin to help save money.

"With team members Jeff Scott, Dan Rincones and Wayne Gordon along with the collaboration of many on base and off base agencies this was made possible," said Thomas.

"This innovative idea ties directly into the Air Education and Training Command Cost Conscious Culture. It has saved money not only for Laughlin, but can save money and lives for all the bases located in Texas," said Col. Tom Murphy, 47th Flying Training Wing commander.