An agreement to extend integrated wireless 911 service to all 92 counties in Indiana was announced recently.
State Treasurer Richard Mourdock, chairman of the Indiana Wireless 911 Advisory Board, said, “After several years of negotiation I am pleased that Hoosiers will now receive even better 911 services.
Currently, 52 Indiana counties have the capability to transfer a 911 call to other 911 centers. At the moment, however, the other 40 counties can only transfer 911 calls between themselves.
The agreement enables work to begin on integrating the 40 counties with the rest of the state. When the project is complete, Indiana will be one of the few states where a wireless 911 call can be transferred between counties, and different 911 authorities, with the data that displays the location of the caller. This is critical to provide the highest level of emergency service to the public.
In addition to better service between 911 authorities, the Indiana State Police could soon have the opportunity to receive improved location information for their dispatch centers throughout the state.
Barry Ritter, executive director of the Wireless 911 Advisory Board, said, “The agreement is a significant step to enhancing 911 services because once all 92 counties are connected, Indiana’s Department of Homeland Security will also be able to receive complete information concerning critical incidents or natural disasters.”
