Scott City 911 Center to switch internet providers after outages block emergency calls

In Scott City, callers with a 911 emergency may find their calls go unanswered during a power outage.

Scott City's emergency manager Dan King brought the issue to the Scott City Council on Monday night. According to King, the 911 Center's internet provider, Charter, does not allow 911 calls to go through during power outages.

"If we have a power outage, we have to depend on cellphone service and contacting the county," King said.

King said the emergency responders noticed the problem during a recent power outage. The 911 Center uses a backup generator for outages, but it doesn't support the phones since phone lines are routed through the internet.

King requested the council to allow the 911 Center to switch from Charter to AT&T. AT&T's fiber would allow calls to be placed and received during power outages.

The 911 Center recently received new computers and monitors along with a new 911 system that will locate a call. First responders can view the location on a map to see precisely where they will need to go, according to King.

"We're moving from the 1980s to current stuff," King said.

The council approved King's request to switch from Charter to AT&T. The change in providers would cost an extra $186 a month.

Now, with the council's approval, King along with Fire Chief Shawn Jackson and the Scott City Police Department have begun the process of switching from Charter to AT&T. Jackson said there will be a 50-to-90-day wait for installation.

Other business approved by the Scott City Council

• The council approved an ordinance amending Scott City code relating to utility task vehicles (UTV). The ordinance change extends the allowable operation of UTVs from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. as long as the UTV has lights and signal lights. The code previously restricted drivers from operating UTVs on public streets between sunrise and sunset.
• Scott City administrator Mike Dudek updated the council on two grants he's seeking for the city. One, a police vehicle grant through the United States Department of Agriculture, would allow the city to purchase two new police vehicles for the price of one.

Another grant would allow the city to purchase a digital sign to inform people of events and other announcements. It'd be installed along Main Street across from the Scott City Historical Museum. Neither of the grants have been fully awarded, Dudek said.

Scott City superintendent Michael Umfleet, left, receives a Friends of Scott City award from Mayor Norman Brant. Umfleet received the award along with Ministrial Alliance Food Pantry volunteer Dawn Razor, teacher Heather Helle and Brenda Moyers of the Scott City Historical Commission. Scott City began giving these awards to outstanding citizens a couple years ago, according to Brant. "We started this award as a tiny pat on the back for people around town who've worked hard to make our city a better place," Brant said.MONICA OBRADOVIC