911 SYSTEM GOES ON LINE COUNTYWIDE

JACKSON - After years of discussion and planning, a countywide 911 emergency telephone service went on line Tuesday morning in Cape Girardeau County.

City and county officials and others who have worked to get the system gathered in the county commission's chambers for a ceremony to officially put the system on line.

The 911 system is set up for calls made in the city limits of Cape Girardeau to ring at the central dispatching office of the police department, calls in the city of Jackson to ring at the city's police and fire complex, and calls made outside the two cities to ring at the sheriff's office.

Officials of Cape Girardeau, Jackson and the county made the first 911 calls simultaneously to officially put the system into effect.

Cape Girardeau City Manager J. Ronald Fischer, flanked by Police Chief Howard Boyd Jr., Fire Chief Robert Ridgeway, and 2nd District Associate Commissioner E.C. Younghouse made the first 911 call with the system to Cape Girardeau; Jackson Mayor Paul Sander, joined by City Administrator Carl Talley and 1st District Associate Commissioner Larry Bock, made the call to Jackson; and Presiding Commissioner Gene Huckstep made the first call to the sheriff's office.

In presenting the system to the officials, Brian Miller, director of emergency operations for the county and chairman of the 911 committee, praised the cooperation that led to completion of the system.

Said Miller: "This has been a unified effort from the start. We are proud and somewhat relieved that we have gotten to this juncture. We are pleased and proud.

Huckstep said he was pleased with the finished product. He said: "All in all it was a very well-functioning committee. The citizens owe them a great deal of gratitude."

Bock said, "I want to compliment the 911 committee for all your hard work and tell you we really appreciate your great service to the people of the county."

Younghouse termed the improved 911 system "a giant step forward in progress. There is no way to put a value on the system because how do you put a value on a human life?" said Younghouse. "It's a big step forward."

On Nov. 5, 1991, voters in Cape County approved a surcharge on their basic telephone bills to pay for the countywide 911 service. Huckstep said Tuesday he anticipates that charge will be cut in half early next year since funds will only be needed to maintain the system.

Fischer noted that Cape Girardeau has had a 911 system for about 15 years, but the new system "is much better than the one we have had."

Boyd said that with the flip of a switch Tuesday "over 50,000 people will instantly come under the umbrella of this protection."

Mayor Sander praised the effort as an example of "the spirit of cooperation" shown in the county.

Hines pointed out that the effort to get a countywide 911 system required three years of hard work by committee members and praised the support of all members, Sheriff Norman Copeland, Boyd and Jackson Police Chief Larry Koenig, city officials of Cape and Jackson, and the county commission, including former 1st District commissioner Leonard Sander, who was serving when voters approved the telephone line surcharge.

"In developing the system, the committee did not encounter any obstacle that could not be resolved," said Hines. "It has been one of the most challenging and rewarding projects that I have ever had the privilege to be a part of."

Hines also praised the work of Mike Goodman, who works with the committee's consultant, Miller Associates. "As our technical adviser and consultant, he helped steer us in the direction to bring us to the point of where we are today with the E-911 being officially on line," said Hines.