Hudson County freeholders give contract for running 911 emergency system to Monmouth County firm; current service provider Jersey City Medical Center predicts lives will be put at risk

April 29, 2011 By TERRENCE T. McDONALD -  Jersey Journal 

The Hudson County Board of Freeholders last night unanimously awarded a one-year, $160,000 contract to a Monmouth County firm to handle the county's 911 emergency system.

The vote came despite objections from the current service provider, Jersey City Medical Center, which submitted a $400,000 bid for the coming year.

Citing costs, the freeholders rejected JCMC's bid in favor of Monmouth-Ocean Hospital Service Corp.

Using a company outside of Hudson County to provide emergency dispatch services puts lives at risk, said Robert Luckritz, operations coordinator for JCMC's EMS Department.

"Dispatch of paramedics will be delayed while our call center awaits a telephone call from another agency," Luckritz told the freeholders.

MONOC spokesman Joseph Acciavatti disputed this claim, saying his company works with the same software used by JCMC and that "there will be no minutes lost" during emergency communications.

Freeholder Chairman Bill O'Dea said it wasn't an easy decision granting MONOC the contract, but state laws require officials to award contracts to the lowest bidder.