New Madrid County 911 sees changes

NEW MADRID, Mo. -- For years New Madrid County, like counties across Missouri, has faced dwindling revenues for its 911 program. With fewer landline phones paying the tax which funds the program, each year less money is available.

A partnership between New Madrid County and the city of New Madrid is bringing about some improvements for the countywide 911 program, which dispatches emergency services when called.

"We have partnered with the city on another project and it all worked out well so far," said New Madrid County Presiding Commissioner Mark Baker, adding the county is looking forward to working with the city on 911.

Later this month, 911 dispatching will move to the new city of New Madrid Police Station located on Highway 61. Dispatchers will be equipped with all new computers, monitors and updated mapping software, funded by the county. The eight 911 dispatchers, formerly employed by the county, will become employees of the city, which is also responsible for the management of personnel.

As part of the arrangement, New Madrid County will pay the city for dispatching its services. According to New Madrid Mayor Dick Bodi, this will be equivalent to the cost of the dispatchers' salaries and benefits. "We will be out no more money than in the past," Bodi said.

Michael McCammon will head the 911 dispatch service center for the city. McCammon, a native of Marston, worked for 14 years with the Dunklin County Sheriff's Department before taking on duties at New Madrid.

New Madrid Police Chief Joey Higgerson said the transition comes at an opportune time. He explained the city was working on new facilities for the police department, moving it from an old brick building, just off Main Street, into much larger quarters shared with the New Madrid Fire Department.

At the front of the new building will be office space for the court clerk, police chief and assistant chief. Also the 911 center will be located in one of the rooms and staffed by two dispatchers, 24-hours a day.

In a separate secured area will be evidence lockers and interview rooms. There will be a work room and booking area for prisoners, who will be housed along with other New Madrid County prisoners in the Pemiscot County Jail.

An additional area, located between the police department and fire department will be used for meetings and training for both personnel. Also Higgerson said the area will be available as a county emergency operations center if the need arises.

Bodi praised city employees' efforts in creating the facility. The mayor noting not only did street department personnel assist in renovating the building's interior but also Higgerson and his officers.

The police department will move in within the next two weeks. The police chief said the 911 changeover date is Oct. 26.

Higgerson described the new 911 facility as a virtually consolidated Public Safety Access Point system. All 911 calls for every agency in the county will be routed through this system; Portageville will continue to have 911 personnel with calls electronically routed to its 911 operator.

Higgerson emphasized the goal of the city-county partnership is to ensure timely response to emergencies.

"We are here to provide service for the citizens of the whole county," he said.

Surveying the new interior, Higgerson noted the city will have the ability to address issues such as hardware and software as they arise at the new facility.

However, there was one issue he said must be addressed on the statewide level - funding for the program. On Monday, he and other city and county leaders met with Democratic candidate for governor Chris Koster to discuss funding concerns.

Ralph Barnwell, former director of the New Madrid County Ambulance District, pointed out Missouri is the only U.S. state which doesn't tax cell phones to fund 911.

Koster agreed Missouri is way behind in solving 911.

"But it is my sense we are seeing, I think, an awakening in rural Missouri to get on board with 911 funding," Koster said pointing our a number of conservative groups, such as Missouri Farm Bureau, agree with him that something needs to be done.

"The big issue is who is going to pay as we leave the land-line world," said Koster, who pledged it would be an issue he would personally take to the legislature in an effort to improve funding.

That was good news for Higgerson and other officials.

"I think he was receptive to the rural problems," said Higgerson. "He is receptive to our needs and willing to listen."