(STATEHOUSE)—State Auditor Tim Berry today
announced a special financial distribution to each of Indiana’s
92 counties, in effort to continue providing Hoosiers across the
state with the highest level of wireless 911 service. As former
Treasurer of State and Chair of the Wireless Enhanced 911 Advisory
Board, Berry recommended that $8.1 million be distributed to Indiana’s
counties. In December 2006, at Berry’s final meeting as Chair,
the Board approved this recommendation.
The distributions to counties range from $15,512.95 for Ohio
County to $1,037,677.99 for Marion County. The $8.1 million
was collected from dollars that wireless customers paid in monthly
surcharges into a wireless 911 fund, which wireless carriers
then did not claim over the last eight years. This lump sum
distribution is comparable to what the counties may normally
receive over a period of six months.
Berry stated, “Counties are strapped trying to find dollars
to support the current technology of 911. It seems only appropriate
that this money be put to use by providing this necessary safety
net for Hoosiers who need to dial 911 from their wireless phone.”
He further stated, “In the past eight years, $98 million
has been provided to Indiana’s counties to assist in upgrading
their 911 systems so that they can both receive wireless 911
calls and know the location of wireless callers.”
Indiana has been recognized nationally for its leadership in
wireless 911. Indiana Counties, Steuben and Allen, were the
first in the United States to accept wireless 911 calls. Lake
County was the second county in the nation to be able to identify
the location of a wireless 911 caller.
Recently, a new 911 delivery network was built that allows
for call transfer capabilities as well as the ability to text
message 911 and send a camera-phone image to 911. Currently,
Indiana is working with “On Star” so that 911 centers
across the state can also receive an emergency 911 “On
Star” call.
Berry closed by saying, “I am pleased that as former Treasurer
of State, I had the opportunity to be part of this advancement
in 911 technology and help our counties. Hoosiers should know
that when calling 911, help is on the way.”
###
