Pennsylvania county commissioners and first responders discuss raising 911 surcharge
On Friday morning, county commissioners met with first responders from across Pennsylvania to learn more about the challenges 911 dispatchers are facing as they look to push lawmakers to raise funding.
For nearly two hours, the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania's Emergency Management and Veterans Affairs Committee heard from three panels.
Westmoreland County Deputy Director of Public Safety Eugene Good was on one of them, talking about the need for sustainable funding to keep the system running across the state.
"If we expect our PSAPs to meet the demands of today and prepare for the challenges of tomorrow, we must fund them accordingly," Good said.
"They calm the people down before we get there," said Joe Brown, the president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 71, Berks County. "They get us the vital information, and then they're dealing with whatever happens out at the scene to get the help that's needed."
Specifically, they discussed the legislative priority for CCAP to get the General Assembly to increase the monthly 911 surcharge from $1.95 to $2.20 per device or line.
"We have consistently struggled to maintain staffing above 50 telecommunication officers," Good said.
The conversation between county commissioners and first responders, including police, fire, and emergency services, brought up the serious financial concerns facing dispatch centers and departments.
"Westmoreland County, we're looking at, by 2030, we have to upgrade our part of the system," Good said. "Right now, that's going to be $40 million just to upgrade that."
These are costs that go beyond what the discharge pays for, but go to show that an increase would make a major difference.
"Our PSAPs need a dependable funding commitment that ensures every Pennsylvanian can reach a trained professional when they call 911 every hour of every day," Good said.
At the end, CCAP Board of Directors member and Vice Chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners Jean Foschi reinforced their commitment to get the funding increase from the legislature.
"Having a soluble, financially soluble 911 system is so important," Foschi said. "It touches everything we do, and it is economically responsible because when that piece is in place, all of these other things don't have to cost so much."
