11.26.24 – KARK -SEARCY, Ark.
The consolidation of 911 dispatch centers across the state is quickly approaching a deadline.
The Arkansas legislature passed the Public Safety Act of 2019 which mandates the 911 call centers receiving state funds shrink by over 30%. Specifically, the Arkansas 911 Board settled on consolidating the 114 dispatch centers to 79 by Jan. 1, 2025.Hot Springs opting out of 911 merger with Garland County
Populations of 150,000 or less are allowed one dispatch center, those with up to 350,000 are allowed up to two, and larger counties than that can have three.
White County just completed its consolidation. White County Emergency Management director Tyler Myze said last April the county added Bald Knob, then Beebe last December. Searcy was added on Nov. 20.
“Something like this does have to have very precise and strategic moves because it’s not just a consolidation. It’s an operation that cannot cease,” Myze said.
Myze said to ensure no disruption within the county no positions in the county-wide have been eliminated.
Searcy Police Chief Steve Hernandez lost 10 employees to the county. Some with decades of experience left for other work preemptively because early on the consolidation left many unknowns.
“It’s something that we didn’t want to get here, we had to,” Hernandez said.
Some of the early growing pains are those dispatchers familiar with the city now having to learn the county, and vice versa, but they know the change is not coming without benefits.
C.J. Engel is executive director of the Arkansas 911 Board which is responsible for leading the consolidation. Engel said it has already eliminated over 16,000 911 call transfers statewide.
Myze said at times minutes are saved per call because one dispatch center does not have to contact another center to get someone help from the officer, firefighter, or emergency medical service person they need.
If that happens statewide, all agencies can agree it will be the right call.
“It takes time to work out the kinks in an operation like this, however, we’re confident that this is going to provide a more efficient response by all of our responding agencies,” Myze said.
Even though most if not all city agencies are losing their own dispatch center, they are responsible for their share of the costs of keeping the 911 center open.
The 911 board said they expect some areas may need an extension beyond the January 1 deadline to purchase equipment or build facilities.