Caller ID to be added to county phone system
Staff reporter
Michele Abbott-Becker, director of Marion County Communications and Emergency Management, presented a report of 911 telephone calls to the Marion County Commission on Monday with a request for caller identification enhancement.
"There are more cell calls than ever before," said Abbott-Becker. "If we should lose contact with a caller, we have a way to at least try to call them back."
Currently, the caller identification capabilities are limited to non-cell telephone calls.
For the first 10 months of 2003, 65.60 percent or 4,129 of 911 calls received are from cell phones. The total number of 911 calls from both conventional and cell telephones, so far in 2003, is 6,294.
Abbott-Becker said the best way to provide this service to her department would be through the main phone system in the courthouse. Otherwise, there would need to be individual boxes installed with each telephone in her department.
The county clerk's office had done some checking and was not aware of any problems if the caller I.D. enhancement was added. This would allow caller I.D. for all phones within the courthouse telephone system.
The commission approved the expenditure of $886 for the installation of caller I.D. in the courthouse phone system.
Abbott-Becker reported that the state assessment for homeland security-based grants has been completed.
The Mitigation 20-20 assessment report is due in November. This report promotes pre-planning to reduce the need to respond in emergency management situations.
For example, a house located in a flood plain could be moved from the flood plain area. This would eliminate the need for ongoing expenditure of funds to repair the house when it floods.
This report is necessary to request federal disaster funds, said Abbott-Becker.
