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Washington Co.
Posted: Mar 07, 2025 9:16 AMUpdated: Mar 07, 2025 9:18 AM
Washington County to Upgrade 9-1-1 System with State Grant
Tom Davis
Washington County Emergency Management is working alongside the City of Bartlesville to secure a state grant that will upgrade the county’s current enhanced 9-1-1 system to the next-generation 9-1-1 system. The upgrade will improve call routing and geolocation capabilities, ensuring dispatchers can pinpoint the exact location of emergency callers.
Appearing on KWON Radio’s Community Connection, John Mosley with Washington County Emergency Management talked about the importance of this upgrade. "If you call 9-1-1, geolocating that phone and telling the dispatchers exactly where you are is going to help out a lot," Mosley said.
The transition is due to the widespread shift from landlines to mobile phones. In the past, landline numbers were directly linked to physical addresses, simplifying emergency response. With most people now using mobile phones, precise geolocation technology is essential for accurate emergency response.
WCEM Executive Director Kari Cox highlighted the significance of the grant, saying that it will help emergency responders locate individuals more quickly, especially those who may be in distress and unable to communicate their location. "Now, instead of just knowing a caller is between two towers, we can narrow that gap and locate them much more precisely," Cox explained.
The county is currently finalizing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) and submitting necessary documentation to the state to move forward with the grant process. Once implemented, the next-generation 9-1-1 system will enhance emergency response efforts by improving call accuracy and location tracking.
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