Lawmakers running out of time to provide funding for Pa. 911 operation centers
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Time is ticking away for lawmakers to get a new deal done to fund 911 operators across Pennsylvania.
If a deal is not reached, counties could lose access to hundreds of millions of dollars.
Right now, 65% of county-run 911 center operations are funded primarily through a monthly surcharge on your phone bill. A new House bill would increase that amount to almost $2 per month.
It might not seem like a lot, but that increase could help install new technology to assist operators.
"These are truly dedicated folks who are there in that moment of worst need in your life. We have to keep continuously evolving, looking for ways to make sure that in your worst moment of crisis, you have a way to get in touch with 911," said Lisa Schaefer, the CCAP executive director.
The bill is sitting in the Senate Emergency Preparedness Committee.