BENTON – Tuesday’s storms forced Franklin County government officials to move groundbreaking ceremonies for the new Emergency Operations and Communications Center at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office in Benton indoors.
Currently, there are five emergency communications centers in Franklin County that receive, process and handle emergency and non-emergency requests for public safety and community services. Only two of the five centers, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the West Frankfort Police Department, are designated Public Safety Answering Points and receive calls directly from the public. Three of the centers – Central Dispatch of West Franklin County, the West City Police Department, and American Medical Response/Abbott EMS St. Louis – do not receive 911 calls directly from the public.
Four of those centers will consolidate into the new facility in Benton with the West Frankfort Police Department becoming the second Public Safety Answering Point.
Larry Miller is the chairman of the Franklin County Board.
Franklin County Sheriff Kyle Bacon says this project has been talked about and meetings have been held for a number of years.
The sheriff has told people he believes this is the single most important project that has occurred in Franklin County in many years.
County leaders say by consolidating these centers, it will provide better service to the citizens, visitors and public safety agencies in Franklin County. The Franklin County Emergency Management Agency will manage the new communications center.
The new 6,000 square foot facility will cost around $3 million with construction set to begin Aug. 1. It will take 10 to 12 months to complete.
The project is being funded by the America Rescue Plan (ARPA) Grant Program and additional grants from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. No locally generated property or sales tax funding is being used for this construction project. Additional funding for equipment and furnishings are being considered by the Franklin County 911 Board/ETSB in accordance with allowable expenditures for 911 systems in Illinois.
You can find out more about the new facility online at franklincountyil.gov/better911.