Wednesday, December 27, 2006

State: Chenango needs 911 help for cell phones

Chenango is one of 15 New York counties that still lacks the technology to pinpoint the location of 911 cell-phone callers, according to an audit released Thursday by the state comptroller's office.

The audit faulted the Department of State for failing to properly track the progress of the counties, which are expected to implement the technology using state funding. Those funds are collected through a surcharge on monthly wireless phone bills.

The three-digit emergency number has been in place for land-based phone lines in Chenango County for nearly a decade, according to the Sheriff's Department website. However, the county's system has "no way at all" to determine the location of a caller from a cell phone.

Attempts to reach Matt Beckwith, the county's emergency management officer, were unsuccessful Thursday.

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