PERRY MAY VOTE ON ENHANCED 911 SERVICE

PERRYVILLE -- Plans are proceeding to upgrade Perry County's basic 911 system to an enhanced emergency response system.

Following discussions last week with county and city officials, the Perryville City Council will be asked to support the enhanced system at its Wednesday night meeting.

With support from the council, the Perry County Commission will place the 15 percent telephone surcharge on the April 4 ballot at its Thursday meeting, said Karl Klaus, presiding commissioner.

Measures for the April 4 ballot must be approved by Feb. 7, eight weeks before the election.

Perry County residents are paying a 4 percent surcharge, about 37 cents per month, on their basic telephone bills for the current system, which only displays the number of the telephone from which a call is made to the 911 system.

The 15 percent surcharge on basic residential phone bills would amount to $1.38 per month for the enhanced system, which would also show the name and address of a 911 caller, allowing for much quicker response times.

"We are tentatively waiting to see what the city council will say," Klaus said. "We are working together to make sure that everyone is satisfied."

When a call is now received by the basic 911 system at the city police department, if the caller can't speak the phone number has to be found in a directory to determine identity and address, Klaus said. And if the address is listed as Route 1, then the dispatcher has to find someone who knows the caller and the location before help can be sent.

Most Perry County residences and businesses outside Perryville have rural addresses, Klaus said. Unlisted phone numbers further complicate the process since they are not in a directory, he said.

An enhanced 911 system would handle those emergencies when someone calls the dispatcher, then hangs up, passes out or is unable to speak, Klaus said. It also allows a response to the address of the phone number when a child calls 911 and is unable to explain the emergency.

Perryville Police Chief Eugene Besand and Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf are supporters of the proposal for a new enhanced system.

Plans include setting up answering points in both the city police department and the sheriff's department. Selective routing of 911 calls would send Perryville calls to the police department while those outside the city would be directed to the sheriff's department.

The basic advantage of an enhanced system would be the name and address of a caller would be displayed, Besand said. He said selective routing would also save time as calls would go directly to the proper agency. In addition, the enhanced system could be upgraded as technology improves and needs grow, he said.

Besand said preliminary plans include the formation of a county 911 board to oversee the establishment of the enhanced system. For the board, Perryville would select two representatives, the Perry County commission would choose two, Perry County Memorial Hospital would pick one and the rural fire districts in the eastern end of the county would choose the sixth member. No elected officials would be on the board, Besand said.

Schaaf said he hopes the city council supports the issue at Wednesday's meeting.

"I feel the enhanced system would be good for the county," Schaaf said. "It's a step in the right direction."

The sheriff's department currently uses a card system to track addresses and locations for 911 responses. After the basic 911 system was approved in 1992, the county purchased a computer to enter information important in responding to an emergency call, such as name, address, phone, directions from Perryville, number of people in the household and special medical considerations.

Schaaf said the initial response to the information request was good, but as the years have passed people moved without updating their cards. This can result in sending response teams to the wrong locations, he said.

Schaaf said his chief deputy and the jail administrator, who serves as the county's emergency preparedness coordinator, is looking at enhanced 911 systems in other areas.

He said Cape Girardeau County's enhanced system went on line last year, Ste. Genevieve County is working to establish its system and Madison County recently voted to set up an enhanced 911 system.