911 struggles for funding
Friday, February 27, 2009According to Dunklin County 911 Director Richard LaMunion, approximately four years ago, the local service was operating on an estimated $250,000 budget. This year, LaMunion says the budget is around $120,000. LaMunion said the reason for the decline is that many residents are dropping their land lines in favor of more convenient mobile phones.
"In the last six month, we haven't addressed any home phones," LaMunion said. " It has been all cell phones."
LaMunion went on to say that the lower budget is making it tougher to operate each year.
"[The funding] is just not coming in," LaMunion said.
About 76 percent of calls received each year by the local service are from cell phones, according to the director.
The 911 service is mostly funded by fees taxed on to land lines. As residents drop their land lines for mobile devices, funds are taken away from the service. Mobile phones are considered to be radio devices and are not currently subject to the 911 charge.
However, local government agencies are presently lobbying for legislation that would allow a 911 fee on mobile phones to compensate for the lost funds. Sen. John Griesheimer, of Washington, Mo., is sponsoring the legislation.
The proposed bill, SB 119, states that the commissioner of the office of administration is authorized to establish a fee, if approved by the voters pursuant to section 190.440, not to exceed fifty cents per wireless telephone number per month to be collected by wireless service providers from wireless service customers.
According to the bill, the office of administration will be authorized to administer the funds and distribute the money collected by the wireless provider for approved expenditures, including:
* Reimbursement of actual expenses for implementing enhanced 911 services by wireless providers;
* Subsidizing and assisting public safety answering points based on a formula established by the administration and the director of the department of public safety;
* Reimbursement of expenses for equipment for implementing an enhanced 911 service by public safety points to the extent that funds are available.
Also under the bill, wireless service providers are entitled to retain one percent of the surcharge they collect for administrative costs associated with billing and collection.
Voters have rejected a 911 fee on mobile lines two times before.
Another option being presented by Sen. Jason Crowell, of Cape Girardeau, Mo., is consolidation.
According to Crowell, the state could efficiently operate with only five 911 centers in entire state. Missouri currently has 174 centers.
Arguments against Crowell's option claim that while 174 centers may be too many, five may be too few.
LaMunion said the local 911 centers will meet on Monday at Dexter, Mo., to discuss options.
"Right now, we have enough money," LaMunion said. "But it's getting tougher."
In related news, The Medic One Ambulance Service and the Dunklin County Ambulance Board would like to remind citizens within Dunklin County that if a 911 call is made from a mobile phone, the caller should be sure to indicate the city in which they are requesting services.
It appears that in the majority of cases involving a 911 call from a mobile phone, the calls are directed to the area from which the services are purchased and not necessarily to the 911 office within the area the resident is making the call.
Wireless companies are aware of the issue and are working to resolve it. Until there is a resolution, residents are asked to include the city from which they are requesting services, along with the appropriate street address and phone number.
With the address and phone number provided, the emergency responders should be able to respond in a more timely manner.
For a complete copy of the proposed bill, click HERE.
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