On Wednesday, January 22, 2025, the Board of Commissioners of the City of Wildwood unanimously voted to join Cape May County in shared emergency dispatch services. With the safety of residents at the forefront of all decision-making, the City worked closely with the Wildwood Police and Fire departments to conduct extensive studies and analysis over the past few years to determine the best course of action.
Deputy Mayor Steve Mikulski has been a key figure in exploring opportunities for shared services consolidation with Public Safety for Wildwood, North Wildwood, and Wildwood Crest since 2020. The City was awarded a Leap Challenge Grant by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs to support this study.
After thorough evaluation, it was determined that transitioning to the County dispatch system alongside other municipalities was the optimal choice. The County system employs a regional approach to assigning resources, with the Wildwoods structured as a single region to streamline operations. Wildwood and West Wildwood, which already share services, will seamlessly integrate into the shared services agreement as the 14th of 16 towns participating in the program. Wildwood Crest has renewed its shared services contract, and North Wildwood has opted to join the system in February 2025.
This collaborative model positions Wildwood to take full advantage of state-of-the-art technology designed to improve response times. By pooling resources, participating towns can benefit from cutting-edge technology that might otherwise be cost-prohibitive. For example, shared services allow the integration of real-time data from emergency monitoring systems across municipalities, enhancing situational awareness and enabling a coordinated regional response.
Cost savings are another significant factor driving this decision. The 5-year shared services agreement is expected to result in direct operational savings of $2.4 to $2.9 million. Additional savings, ranging from $1.5 to $2.5 million, are anticipated through cost avoidance, such as replacing outdated systems and making necessary infrastructure renovations.
These efforts underscore the City of Wildwood’s dedication to creating a safer, more efficient environment for residents and visitors.
Wildwood is scheduled to start their shared services agreement with the County starting January 2026.