State Support for Secure 911 Emergency Communications Benefits Everyone

By Butch Bennett, Timothy A. Boyce, Reverend Lenard Carroll, Chief Bruce Egan, Laura Goodrich Cairns, Mayor Thaddeus Kirkland, Trish McFarland, Chief John Viola, and Chief David Tedjeske

Car accidents, missing persons, violent acts, heart attacks, children in danger, smoke filling homes and fires spreading rapidly.

All are frightening events that put families at risk, and they often generate calls to Delaware County 911. Each call is answered locally by a trained professional who calmly handles the emergency, and then dispatches needed help – day or night, rain or shine – to first responders from every corner of the County.

These emergency events occur hundreds of thousands of times every year – with over 800,000 emergency calls received in 2019 alone - and each time aid is directed to those who need it.

Always.
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Delaware County’s emergency communications system is a busy one, well-organized and staffed by people who are dedicated to protecting every resident as well as many others who work in and travel through the County. It does, however, have serious infrastructure, technology and security deficiencies and is long overdue for modernization that will better support emergency services --- fire, police and medical -- by allowing them to do the jobs they have devoted their lives to, while reducing the risks they take and providing better services to you.

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