COUNTY'S 911 SYSTEM REMAINS ON TARGET FOR IMPLEMENTATION

JACKSON - Implementation of a countywide 911 emergency telephone system, approved by voters of Cape Girardeau County in November 1991, is still on target for Nov. 2.

"It all seems to be coming together," said Brian Miller, emergency operations center director for the county and chairman of the seven-member committee appointed by the county commission to implement the system.

"There are some points where you wonder how it is all going to work, and we've had a few problems, but they have all been easily resolved."

Miller said any problems are the result of trying to put together a project of this magnitude and working to insure that citizens receive a quality system for their money. The emergency system is funded by a tax on basic telephone bills, which will be lowered once the equipment is paid for and the system is functioning.

"It is strictly a matter of getting things organized and working," Miller explained. "There are a lot of elements with something like this. It takes a lot of work to put something together of this magnitude."

Most of the new equipment for the system is in place, and facilities are being remodeled at the Cape and Jackson police departments, sheriff's office, and at the ambulance service office for the equipment.

In addition, Miller said his committee has assisted the Department of Public Safety at Southeast Missouri State University to get its phone system set up to handle 911 calls. All such calls made on campus will go to the department, where a dispatcher will have the ability to make immediate contact with other emergency agencies.

During the summer, the lengthy process was completed to give all residences in Cape Girardeau County a city-style street address, which will make it easy for emergency personnel to find a location.

"This is an integral part of 911. It is important to identify these locations that have been named," said Miller. "We also need to make sure house numbers are posted and that streets are adequately marked so emergency response people can find their way around."

Last week the county commission authorized the 911 committee to seek bids for making the street signs and for a contractor to install them.

Miller said about 650 signs will need to be made. Although not all of the street signs will be up by the time the system starts, Miller said most of them should be and the others will be up soon after.

Some modifications have been made in street names to avoid confusion, and Miller said further checks are under way to insure that there will be no misunderstandings over where an emergency call is coming from.

"Any time you have a chance where people responding to an emergency could be confused, you need to resolve that," stressed Miller.

When the 911 committee began its work about 20 months ago, the county commission said it wanted the committee to purchase state-of-the-art equipment that will give taxpayers their money's worth, as well as putting in place a system that will serve all residents of the county equally.

"I'm personally happy with what we've got and really feel it will serve the entire county well," said Miller.

On Nov. 2, the switch will be pulled to convert the county to this 911 system, and Miller believes everything is on target to meet that deadline.

"We're pretty much on target for getting all of this done," said Miller. "We should have all the equipment in and working before the cutover date. We will have something to be proud of, and it will do its job."