Decrease in Landline Use Affects Revenue of Local 911 Emergency - News, Weather and Sports for Sioux City, IA: KCAU-TV.com

Decrease in Landline Use Affects Revenue of Local 911 Emergency Systems

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By: Diana Johnsen

djohnsen@kcautv.com

A decrease in landlines is affecting the revenue of Plymouth County's 911 emergency system.

Plymouth County has a $1.00 month surcharge for each landline that helps fund the emergency system, but over the past 10 years it has seen at least a $40,000 dollar decrease in revenue because more people are dropping their landlines.

The revenue drop is a big issue because the county is working to update its old 911 emergency system and communications center, which includes everything from old radios to computer equipment, and there isn't enough money to go around.

"You take the equipment running 24 hours a day. You are looking at 30 years of use in 10 years because of that. That's why you have to replace electronics," said Kirk Hatting, Plymouth County Communications Supervisor.

The county said right now it's tough to get additional funds for the issue, so it's making cuts in the budget where it can.

It will do things like ask police departments in the county to purchase and update their own radio and telecommunications systems instead of it coming out of the county's pocket.

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