MILITARY TECHNOLOGY USED IN ENHANCED 911 MAPPING

PERRYVILLE -- Perry County officials are using a satellite system to map roads in connection with its implementation of an emergency 911 system.

The Global Positioning System, a military satellite navigation system, is pinpointing exact locations for the 911 mapping.

The mapping will be used to build a database for the Enhanced 911 system, said Dan Bowman, Perry County 911 liaison.

Mapping involves assigning addresses and names to county roads. Occasionally road names are duplicated within the area.

Having an exact location is important for quick emergency response. The Enhanced 911 system displays a caller's address along with a phone number.

A Basic 911 system already operates in the county. But Perry County voters agreed last year to an 11-percent tax increase to pay for the enhanced system. Tax collection began in June this year, said Perry County Clerk Randy Taylor.

The tax is expected to raise up to $10,000 monthly.

Scott and New Madrid counties also made responding to emergency calls easier when they approved Enhanced 911 systems.

The measure was approved last November. Both counties approved a 15 percent surcharge for the system.

The tax, which is collected by Southwestern Bell, could raise $500,000. The county can collect the tax charges for 27 months.

When voters approved the enhanced system last year, Scott City fought to keep its own dispatch center.

Until recently, Scott City also served Kelso and Commerce through its 911 dispatch system. But now the two communities are part of the county-wide system.

"We are part of the Scott City exchange, which is why we went with Scott City," said Commerce Mayor Roy Jones of the arrangement.

Since July, emergency calls have been routed through the county system, he said.

A Basic 911 system was approved for Scott City's 264 phone exchange in 1991.