KMOX continues to look at emergency response in our region, following complaints about 911 service in the St. Louis area during recent storms.
Total Information AM's Megan Lynch spoke with Illinois' 911 Administrator about that state's upgrade. Illinois is phasing in what's called NextGen911.
State Administrator, Cindy Barbera-Brelle says the IP-based system offers more flexibility when a dispatch center is slammed with calls. "So if my backup has an issue, or in any area where many are impacted, it can go beyond that area to other 911 centers."
Barbera-Brelle says Illinois has a grant program to help local jurisdictions with upgrades, funded through a surcharge on phone bills.
She says NextGen911 will also allow text communication and video and photo sharing -- for example witnesses could send in photos of a suspect vehicle to dispatchers.
MADISON COUNTY 911 IN LEGAL LIMBO
Most of Illinois has completed a consolidation of 911 call centers to improve efficiency, except for one county.
The Madison County 911 consolidation remains in legal limbo. The State Police and the county are at odds over how dispatch centers will be reorganized.
While neither will comment directly on the case, KMOX News asked Barbera-Brelle how she would respond to local police departments in Madison County, upset their call centers have been handed to other jurisdictions. "Today in Illinois, and really across the country, staffing 911 centers is a significant problem so we're having trouble bringing in new staff, we're seeing a lot of retirements, etc."
The next hearing on the Madison County 911 consolidation is set for August.
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