By Thomas Clapper
FPS Staff Writer
After being one of the last counties in Ohio to transition to the 911 system, Carroll County has been on the razor’s edge of the Next Generation 911 system as part of its pilot program.
On Jan. 22, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine announced Washington and Monroe counties as the first to fully implement Next Gen 911. Carroll County was also included on the map released by DeWine’s office, along with other pilot program counties: Athens, Champaign, Columbiana, Hardin, Harrison, Morgan, and Union. This initiative is part of Ohio’s $46 million operating budget for infrastructure costs for Next Gen 911.
Carroll County Commissioner Robert E. Wirkner was a chief deputy sheriff when the county first switched to 911, and he has remained involved in various capacities to bring Carroll County to the forefront of Next Gen 911. Before 2000, residents would call the sheriff’s office for emergencies instead of 911.
“For me, it is personally gratifying seeing little Carroll County have the resources and ability to be on the forefront of this Next Gen 911 technology instead of the backside, like when we got the original 911,” Wirkner said. “I was at the very first meeting of the Technical Service Advisory Committee, and I remember being dismayed it was taking so long for Carroll County to get 911.”
Wirkner said Commissioner Robert D. Herron was the chairman of the Technical Service Advisory Committee and took charge of the process. Wirkner worked in dispatch, so it became a personal mission to ensure the public safety answering point (PSAP) unit was established separately within the courthouse and sheriff’s office building.
Years ago, dispatchers worked downstairs, multitasking between the lobby, dealing with the public, taking court payments, and other tasks. When Wirkner worked in dispatch, the PSAP equipment sat on an old sagging card table, with a large sign displaying call signs and numbers with specific meanings. That sign still exists today, kept in an office upstairs as a reminder of the past.
“When I worked dispatch, I was also in charge of the jail and would have to do my rounds,” Wirkner said. “I would have to get on and signal #51, which meant I couldn’t answer. I had a break in service from when I was a deputy sheriff in 2005 to 2013 when I became commissioner, but the needs of deputies and dispatchers were never far from my mind. When I became a commissioner, I wanted to get dispatchers out of that environment downstairs and dedicated solely to 911. The board of commissioners and I facilitated the move to the old Emergency Management office, where the PSAP remains today.”
Years ago, ambulances were run by funeral homes, and there was just one defibrillator unit kept under the old sagging card table. If it was needed, an ambulance would stop at the courthouse, and the dispatcher would bring the defibrillator to the ambulance. Once used, it would be returned to its spot under the table.
Today, each ambulance has its own defibrillator unit, and dispatchers—now certified emergency medical technicians—can stay on the line with callers and provide instructions to help mitigate emergencies.
When Wirkner became commissioner, the original 911 equipment was at the end of its life. The 911 coordinator at the time, Terry Dendack, had been setting aside funds for new equipment. Commissioners faced two choices: they could buy equipment compatible with the existing 911 system or invest in technology that could support Next Gen 911.
“We were able to stretch it out, and the result is what we have here today in the county,” Wirkner said. “We went from one of the last in the game to one of the first in the game because the equipment was compatible.”
The state of Ohio used select counties as part of the pilot program—a long-term test to work out any kinks. This process began in 2014 when Carroll County started upgrading its equipment, and in 2018, the county became a pilot location for Next Generation 911. With DeWine’s mandate for all counties to transition, Carroll County is now one of the first in line. The goal is to equip emergency services with as many tools as possible to enhance response capabilities.
“There were a lot of hurdles to overcome until we got to the pilot program, and a lot of criteria had to be met before we could qualify,” Wirkner said.
Wirkner’s involvement in 911 has spanned three sheriffs—Sheriff Ralph Lucas, Sheriff Dale Williams, and now Sheriff Calvin Graham—as well as multiple 911 coordinators, all of whom contributed to the system’s progress. The 911 coordinators included Bart Sweebe, Terry Dendack, Cheryl Keyser, and current coordinator Samantha LeMonte.
“All of those individuals and others were instrumental in getting 911 to where it is today,” Wirkner said. “In the background, the commissioners have provided the sheriff with enough funding to maintain the PSAP.”
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the goal has been for every county in every state to be able to communicate with each other through a unified system.
Current 911 Coordinator and Dispatch Supervisor Sgt. Samantha LeMonte has been leading the pilot program and oversees 11 full-time dispatchers, including herself. She explained that Next Gen 911 is an IP network-based system that allows information to smoothly transition between the public and first responders.
“If the Carroll County PSAP ever went offline, Columbiana County would pick up our calls in 30 seconds,” LeMonte said. “It is very seamless.”
She said the benefits of Next Gen 911 include text-to-911, video-sharing capabilities, more detailed and accurate mapping, minimum staffing requirements, and reduced response times due to a faster and more efficient system. LeMonte has worked in dispatch since 2015.
Wirkner added that the system is so precise that if someone calls 911 from a building, first responders can now determine which floor they are on. In the past, responders only had an address to work with.
LeMonte said Carroll County will migrate directly into the state ESInet network in February, which will be the final step in full implementation.
“I am incredibly proud of the job the dispatchers have done handling the Next Gen 911 system, and they play a critical role in our emergency services,” LeMonte said.
“Commissioners do get some funding from the state, but it is nowhere near enough to cover the cost of operating the PSAP,” Wirkner said. “The commissioners determined that maintaining the system is a worthwhile and justified expense. It has been a real asset to work with a board of commissioners that recognizes the value of law enforcement, emergency services, and public safety services, including 911. Nearly every office in the county, such as regional planning, the map office, and many others, had to come together to make this a reality.”