Directors review decline in revenue, support taxing wireless customers for 911 emergency services

Michael Arnold, 911 Services in Miller County, presented statistics showing a significant decrease in funding every year for the past five years for 911 services.

"If something does not change or a new method of funding is put in place, we don't know how we could continue to operate," Arnold stated. "Something has to be done now."

Arnold cited statistics showing that the majority of 911 calls are now coming from wireless phones, and yet "Missouri is the only state in the US not collecting fees on wireless customers for 911 service."

Arnold said, "Miller County is only one of the many 911 centers across the state in a crisis situation with funding for landlines decreasing as wireless customers increase."

Currently 911 services are funded through a tax on landline users.

Arnold went on to say that there are still counties in Missouri that do not have 911 service and "even more counties are without Phase II, which means when you call 911 from your cell phone the 911 dispatcher does not have the technology to locate you."

"The fact is, 911 in Missouri is hit and miss. If you're traveling through Missouri and have a crisis situation you may or may not get a well trained 911 dispatcher with up-to-date technology," Arnold said.

Paul Anderson, manager of East Central Dispatch, pointed out that past efforts to get legislation passed to increase 911 revenues have failed.

"We don't want someone to lose their life before lawmakers recognize there is a real problem with 911 services in Missouri," Anderson stated.

Association members were in agreement that a tax on wireless customers would "create funding for updated technology and training, and secure the future of 911 in Missouri with next generation technology coming to the forefront," it was stated in the news release.

Lisa Schlottach, operations manager of Gasconade County E-911, presented the group with a plan to organize 911 directors across the state, create committees and write legislation to be presented to lawmakers. Schlottach said the plan needed to involve the Missouri Chapters of the Association of Public Communications Officials (APCO), the National Emergency Numbering Association and the Department of Public Safety. She also called for meeting with wireless carriers to discuss the legislation before being presented to legislators.