HomeMy WebLinkAboutEmergency Satellite PhonesREQUEST:
SUBMITTED BY:
DATE:
Recommendation:
CITY OF PALM DESERT
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
STAFF REPORT
Approve Funding for Emergency Service Satellite Phones
Gary Rosenblum, Risk Manager
January 17, 2006
By Minute Motion: Approve the appropriation of $5,600.00 from the
Unobligated General Fund to provide for the purchase, service activation,
and annual service for four (4) handheld satellite phones for the City Council.
Executive Summary:
Portable Satellite Phones have recently been purchased for key City Officials including the
Mayor, Police Chief, Fire Chief, Incident Commander, and alternate (City Manager and
ACM Development Services) and Emergency Services Officer (Risk Manager). The
satellite phone would be used in extreme emergencies in the event all other means of
communication are unavailable. Because the satellite phone works independently from
landline and cell phone systems, it will work when these systems and even radio
systems are inoperable. The satellite phone can reach any other functional phone in the
world by linking directly with communication satellites unaffected by terrestrial events like
earthquakes. This would include the other City satellite phones. The service for these
phones is paid on an annual basis by the City that provides for 600 minutes of airtime per
year. This will be a recurring annual cost.
The purchase of 4 additional phones would enable the Mayor Pro Tem and the City Council
to each have their own emergency use phone so that a quorum could be reached
telephonically during an emergency, and bring the number of handheld satellite phones
owned and operated by the City to 12.
The cost per phone is as follows:
Globalstar GSP-1600 Satellite
charger, car charger, and custom
Activation fee
Annual service for one phone with
over 600 are $1/min.
Annual service tax
Phone w/Traveler's Kit (wall $ 699.00
hard pelican case)
$ 30.00
600 minutes of airtime (minutes $ 600.00
1 $ 70.90
Total 1 $1,399.90
Staff Report
Satellite Phone Purchase
Page 2of2
January 26, 2006
The total cost for four (4) phones is as follows:
Four phones $ 2,796.00 1
Activation fee for four phones $ 120.00 1
Annual Service for four phones (will be an annual recurring cost) $ 2,400.00 1
Taxes for four phones $ 283.60 1
Total $ 5,599.60
Submitted By:
Gary Rosenblum
Risk Manager
Approval:
Carlos L. Orte
City Manager
Paul /eTbsZSn
Dir- tor o nance/City Treasurer
Department Held:
Hdrher Croy
ACM for
opment Services