Toledo (WTOL) - Lucas County Commissioners are considering a move to consolidate 911 services across Lucas County.
They said it comes down to improving safety, efficiency, and cost-savings for smaller departments. If the move were to happen, all 911 dispatchers would move to the emergency services building in downtown Toledo.
"We believe by best practices, that in emergency calls, seconds matter. And this will provide better service to the community and it will also save many communities in our county substantial money,” Commissioner Gary Byers said.
Commissioners have been studying the merge of Lucas County’s five dispatch centers (Sylvania, Sylvania Township, Maumee, Oregon, and the Lucas County Sheriff’s Office) into to their primary technology and operations center in Toledo for the past six weeks. They believe the move would streamline emergency responses and increase public safety. All 911 calls would be handled through one center with one set of emergency response policies.
Besides safety, county leaders feel the move would also boost efficiency and save money for the county’s smaller cities. Currently, 911 costs Toledo $7,481,356 per year. It costs Sylvania at least $592,000 per year. Yet Toledo answers an average of 339,232 calls per year, while Sylvania answers just 6,417 calls.
According to the county’s public safety report, that means the cost per 911 call is $22.05 for Toledo, while it’s $92.25. for Sylvania.
"If you look at jurisdictions right now, there is down time for call takers and dispatchers, but if we merge together, we bring that all together, we can staff the appropriate number for the appropriate call volume countywide,” Matt Heyrman said, public safety director for the county.
Toledo’s 911 center is fully staffed 24/7, answering 82 percent of Lucas County’s 911 calls per year. While smaller towns like Maumee and Sylvania only account for two percent of the county’s calls. Leaders believe the merge would alleviate the operational and funding disparities between Toledo and the five smaller municipalities.
However, commissioners say they realize the merger won't come without some hesitation. Dispatchers’ jobs will move downtown, and some may fear the quality of their dispatch will be lost.
“Police work very closely with dispatchers. Change is very difficult, especially in law enforcement. Some communities are more concerned than others as far as making that change. We hope to answer as many of these questions as we possibily can,” Byers said.
A separate, independent agency comprised of police and fire chiefs would hypothetically serve as the overseeing board for the new, consolidated 911 center.
Three of the five municipalities have to agree to consolidate their dispatch centers for the consolidation to become a reality. Commissioners hope to have a decision on the future of the 911 merger by early summer.
