Governor Dewine lays out plans for next-gen 9-1-1 initiative

Howland, OH -- Ohio Governor Mike Dewine laid out a $45.9 Million proposal in front of county officials and city leaders at the Trumbull 9-1-1 center Thursday afternoon.
The proposal would pay for new infrastructure at dispatch centers throughout Ohio, bringing them up to speed with modern technology.
"The state needs to pay for it, we need to get it done, and we need to push it forward.", the Governor emphasized.
Aside from improving response times, and improving communication between those in need of help, and those providing it--this technology would allow texts, pictures, and videos to 9-1-1.
"Let's say you have a burglar who is coming in...whether it's someone coming into a store, coming in your house--you don't want to talk, you're hiding but you can text now. ", Dewine added.
Dispatchers say this new technology would provide more accurate information in situations where seconds can be the difference between life and death.
"It's unbelievable how much we're limited with the advancements we currently have.", one Trumbull dispatcher said.
It would be a weight lifted off of the shoulders of local governments like Trumbull County, that looked at installing their own text-to-9-1-1 prior to learning about this initiative.
"We were looking at texting a few years ago and the amount just for the back room equipment was astonishing.", said Rodger Laird, operations manager at Trumbull County 9-1-1.
It would also eliminate a big hurdle, one that Trumbull County Commissioner Mauro Cantalamessa believes stands in the way of moving operations into a new facility.
"The next hurdle after this is getting a new facility--looking at a larger, more dignified flagship facility for 9-1-1.", he explained.
The $45 Million budget would pay for the infrastructure needed to update call centers...with plans to install the technology over the next two years.