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SHAHIR POPATIA
P.ENG, PMP
Shahir has seventeen years of experience with public safety communications systems and has been involved in all project aspects, including
project management; business case development; requirements analysis; technology strategy; alternatives assessments; technical specifications;
proposal development; contract negotiation; detailed design; installation, testing, commissioning, and acceptance; and Operations,
Administration and Maintenance (OA&M). Shahir was previously Director of Wireless Services, Engineering and Operations at E-Comm 9-1-1 –
Emergency Communications for Southwest British Columbia, and Senior Manager of Technology Infrastructure at Deloitte Consulting.
consulting Experience
Shahir’s consulting experience includes the following projects:
» London ON Fire Department 2013
Alternative Fire Dispatch Options
An assessment of fire dispatch alternatives. Tasks included
evaluating radio technology options comprising radio
components such as, voice, data, Fire Station Alerting,
and CAD/AVL interfaces, as well as current situation analysis,
requirements analysis, and alternatives assessment for multi agency radio system interfaces such as APCO Project 25 InterSubsystem Interface (ISSI). The assessment considered
enhanced fire communications functionality and capital and
operating costs.
» District of Maple Ridge BC 2013
Radio System Technical Evaluations
Conducted technical and functional evaluations of radio
technology proposals (including the Digital Mobile Radio
(DMR) and new TETRA [Terrestrial Trunked Radio] technologies)
considering voice quality, data throughput, RF coverage,
spectral efficiency, voice security and mobile data applications
such as, imbedded telemetry.
» Metro Vancouver 2013
Voice Utility Radio System Manual
Developing an Operations and Maintenance Manual for Metro
Vancouver’s voice utility radio system.
» District of Maple Ridge BC 2013
Wireless Co-Location Demand
Conducted demand analysis of local cellular and other wireless
operators to co-locate wireless equipment at the District’s
facilities (including repeater sites, buildings, and street
infrastructure) to generate additional revenues for the District,
enhance wireless coverage and bandwidth for businesses and
residents, and reduce the number of District radio.
» E-Comm 9-1-1 – Emergency Communications for SW BC 2012
Second Data Centre Scoping Study
Led study to develop conceptual designs and capital and
operating costs for purpose-built, leased facility, and co location back-up data centre for E-Comm’s mission critical
9-1-1 systems serving Metro Vancouver. The study involved
requirements analysis, conceptual designs, and costing of data
centre infrastructure including power system, mechanical
systems (cooling and fire suppression), and the facility.
»
TransLink 2005 to 2012
Bus Communications and CAD/AVL System
Project managed the procurement, design, installation, testing,
commissioning, enhancements, and expansion of TransLink’s
$50 Million bus voice and data radio communications and
CAD/AVL system the primary purpose of which was emergency
communications for driver and passenger safety. The system
included functionality such as covert microphone activation and
automatic incident location reporting to the dispatch centre.
This project involved the coordination of a large number of
technical and business groups and the management of complex
technical, performance and procurement issues.
»
E-Comm – Emergency Communications for SW British Columbia
1999 to 2002
Wide Area Public Safety Radio System Design & Implementation
Project managed the design and implementation of E-Comm’s
$75 Million Metro Vancouver mission critical public safety
shared interoperable wide-area radio system for 21 police, fire,
EHS, and transit agencies. This project involved the resolution
of complex technical issues and significant management of
stakeholder and partner relations.
» Washington Department of Transportation and State Patrol 2004
Wireless Communications Needs Assessment and Strategy
Development
As the senior engineering consultant, this project involved
assessing the DoT’s and State Patrol’s existing wireless
communications system, analyzing current and future voice and
data requirements, researching best practices, and conducting
an alternatives assessment to formulate a strategy for the
replacement of the Department’s approximately $215 Million
statewide wireless communications system.
» E-Comm/Metro Vancouver 1997 to 1999
Shared 9-1-1 / EOC / Admin Telephone System Design &
Implementation
System engineer on the design and implementation of Metro
Vancouver’s and E-Comm’s shared 9-1-1 PSAP, Emergency
Operations Centre, Emergency Dispatch Centre, Non-Emergency
call-centre, and Administration telephone system involving 9-1 1 voice and data interfaces, EOC satellite trunks, and call-centre
functionality such as an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD). Led the requirements analysis,
technical specifications development, procurement, contractor
supervision, training, acceptance testing, commissioning, and
Operations, Administration and Maintenance (OA&M) set-up.
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» Province of British Columbia – Ministry of Attorney General
2003 to 2004
Wireless Voice & Data Communications System Technology
Strategy
This project for a region-wide wireless mobile voice and data
system for Sheriff Services involved a detailed requirements
analysis incorporating coverage level and area, traffic,
interoperability, and mobile data; assessing different wireless
voice and data technologies, and then developing the technology
strategy. The project incorporated technology evaluations and
conceptual designs of several private and commercial solutions,
including APCO Project 25 systems.
» Metro Vancouver 2004
Emergency Damage Assessment Communications Systems
Assessed the water utility’s existing emergency damage
assessment communications system to identify existing
risks and gaps; developed rapid damage assessment solutions
utilizing field wireless data systems employing private and
commercial networks (including cellular data, satellite, and
iDEN technologies); and, assessed the alternatives in terms of
costs and performance during a major emergency. The systems
provide damage assessment of critical infrastructure such as
watershed dams, reservoirs, pump stations, and treatment
plants.
» Vancouver 2010 Olympics Bid Corporation 2002 to 2003 2010 Winter Olympics IT & Telecommunications System Design
Part of the team which developed the Olympics’
telecommunications and IT system plan including costs which
involved voice telephony, cellular wireless, private wireless
(for public safety and security), transport (utilizing fibre optics),
broadcast, and Internet. Served on the four-person expert
panel during the IT & Telecommunications presentation to the
International Olympics Committee (IOC) Evaluation Commission.
»
» E-Comm – Emergency Communications for Southwest British
Columbia 2003
Dispatch Operations Management Centre
Led the strategy development and conceptual design and
business plan of a twin (backup) 9-1-1 dispatch center for British
Columbia’s Lower Mainland region. The project incorporated
9-1-1 call answer, Computer Aided Dispatch, local and wide area data networks, and a wide-area radio hub and dispatch
system.
» City of Richmond 2004
Emergency Notification Strategy
Developed an emergency notification operational and
technology strategy which the city subsequently implemented.
» Metro Vancouver Joint Emergency Liaison Committee 2004 Broadband Wireless Access and VoIP Network Design
This project involved a high-level analysis of alternatives for
a broadband wireless communications network to provide voice
and data communications between various Emergency
Operations Centres (EOCs) in the greater Vancouver, British
Columbia region. The study involved conducting a network
architecture analysis and assessment of the technical,
performance, and cost attributes of broadband wireless
networking products available in the marketplace and
developing a conceptual design.
»City of Richmond 2004
Emergency Communications Strategy
Project managed this study to develop an emergency
communication strategy for the City of Richmond, including an
emergency communications plan. The project involved
emergency communications operational process analysis,
requirements analysis, current situation analysis, and
alternatives assessment, which led to the strategy and the
emergency communications plan.
E-Comm 2002
Emergency Communications for Southwest British Columbia –
Radio System OA&M Business Plan and Implementation
Led the business planning and transitioning of contracted
maintenance services to in-house maintenance resulting in
annual savings of approximately $1.1 million. This initiative
involved maintenance requirements analysis, business and
operational process development, staffing analysis, staffing
model development, and implementation.
Professional Experience
2011 – 2012
Senior Project Manager
TransLink – Southcoast BC Transportation Authority
2000 - 2003
Director - Wireless Services, Engineering & Operations
E-Comm – Emergency Communications for SW BC
1997 - 2000
Senior Manager - Technology Infrastructure
Deloitte & Touche Consulting Group
1996 - 1997
Project Manager
Teleconsult
1995 - 1996
Telecom Engineering Consultant
ALC Consulting
1994 - 1995
Telecom & IT Consultant
Intelecon Research & Consultancy
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1990 – 1994 (Various Periods)
R & D Engineer
VTech Engineering
1988 - 1990
R & D Engineer
Nexus Engineering Corp.
EDUCATION
B.A.Sc. (Electronics Engineering)
Simon Fraser University, 1994
Dipl.T. (Electronics Engineering), British Columbia Institute of
Technology, 1988
ASSOCIATIONS
Association of Professional Engineers of British Columbia
(APEGBC)
Project Management Institute (PMI)
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