Scott County E-911 awarded $250,000-grant

BENTON, Mo. — The Scott County E-911 Communications Center has been awarded a $250,000-grant through the Missouri 911 Service Board.

The grant, along with other funds, will help Scott County 911 upgrade much needed equipment, software and other assets valuable to citizens of Scott County and agencies that the Center services, according to a news release issued Thursday by the Scott County Sheriff’s Office.

“This grant along with the other funding, will provide us with a long-term solution for our communications center and drastically improve reliability and networks for all agencies and the citizens of Scott County,” said Communications Director Angie Rodgers.

The funding will be used to upgrade the center to become “NG 911” compliant, upgrade hardware and software and add a text-to-911 capability, the news release said.

The 911 Communications Center has been working with multiple different radio and phone systems and outdated equipment that has met its shelf life, according to the news release. The funding will help combine systems into one platform and add abilities for citizens to get life saving help.

The funding will also virtually consolidate Scott County with Sikeston Department of Public Safety’s Communications Center.

“That if disaster strikes and one of the agencies are affected, with a flip of a switch, either agency can work from the other to continue operations,” Rodgers said.

Scott County Communications Center currently provides service for Scott County Sheriff’s Office, Scott County Rural Fire District, NBC Fire District, and Benton Fire Department, Oran Fire Department, Kelso Police Department, Benton Police Department, Oran Police Department and Morley Police Department.