The objective of this application is to extend Internet access to the Environmental Health Lab (EHL) and Medical Examiner (ME) Divisions which are located in a separate facility (Ames Building) from the rest of the Monroe County Health Department (MCHD). The eleven EHL Public Health Chemists, and the thirty ME doctors, investigators and toxicology lab technicians will benefit from the opportunity to access information to support medically related toxicology, forensic, biological, botanical and environmental analyses. They will also contribute to the pool of knowledge by exchanging correspondence, data, and documents with colleagues worldwide. These staffs currently access two local area networks (LAN), which are prepared for ready connection to the Internet. Funds from this grant will be used to create a fiber connection from the Ames Building to Monroe County?s existing Wide Area Network, which is attached to the public Internet via an existing Cisco Pix Firewall. This connection will consist of two Cabletron Ethernet smart switches with ATM OC/three uplinks into an existing external ATM switch. An Ethernet adapter is also required to connect the ME?s NT based file server on a token ring LAN to the Cabletron Smartswitches in the Ames Building. Funds will also be used for the construction of the physical fiber cable plant from the ATM switch to the Ames Building, the conduit, external fiber bundle and the fiber termination equipment. The MCHD is committed to paying all expenses beyond what is allowable under this grant offering, including upgrading personal computers, application and communications servers. In order to promote optional use of Internet resources, each employee will receive basic and advanced training as required. MCHD is prepared to assume all costs of training, and maintaining the Internet connection beyond the project year.
