Lee, Charlotte counties making it easier for 911 calls to be transferred

Reporter: Asha Patel Writer: Joey Pellegrino
Published:
On Tuesday, Lee County commissioners are expected to sign off on a grant program that will upgrade the 911 system to allow quicker responses.
911 operator. Credit: WINK News

On Tuesday, Lee County commissioners are expected to sign off on a grant program that will upgrade the 911 system to allow quicker responses.

Nowadays, most people use cell phones rather than landlines to make 911 calls, but that can make it difficult for 911 operators to figure out which jurisdiction a call should be routed to. Lee and Charlotte counties will be the first to sign off on a grant program enhancing the operators’ ability to transfer calls in and out of a given county with 911 location information.

Lee and Charlotte will eventually be joined by seven other counties. In addition, Lee County recently upgraded its technology, allowing you to send a text to 911 if you are in a situation in which you are unable to call. Officials say they are also doing this to make things easier for those who are deaf or have a speech disability. Collier County already has a similar system in place.

The grant program will cover the next five years. The funding for it is provided by the Florida Department of Management Services.

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