Dutchess County Executive William R. Steinhaus announced today the County’s grant application to the New York State 9-1-1 Board, for the second round of the Expedited Deployment Funding Grant for it’s Emergency Response Center has been approved by the Department of State in the amount of $42,787.
 
County Executive Steinhaus said, “Our effort to obtain this funding will benefit the county’s goal to complete my initiative to receive and respond to all 9-1-1 cellular calls at our County 9-1-1 Center.  It will also enhance emergency efforts already under way in Dutchess to implement Phase II wireless 9-1-1 service.  Phase II service provides the method to determine the origin of cell phone 9-1-1 calls.  This will allow us to provide the best possible services to our community.”

With this approval, Dutchess County’s 9-1-1 Center will be able to:

• upgrade the emergency telephone system;
• upgrade the computer system at the County’s Backup Dispatch Center;
• upgrade the recording system to allow for the recording of the wireless trunks.

In June 2004, Dutchess County was awarded funding in the amount of $177,087 in Round 1 of the Expedited Deployment Funds.  With the funding of Round 2, Dutchess County has been awarded a total of $219,874 in Expedited Deployment Funding.