Lubbock 911 System To Undergo Improvements - KCBD NewsChannel 11 Lubbock

Each year the Lubbock Emergency Communication District sets aside $10,000 to be used for general improvements for Lubbock County. This year the county will use the funds to create a communications backup system to be used in the event of an emergency. "The equipment will be used in the event of having to relocate communications division and we can become mobile at that point," said Lt. Kevin Overstreet, Lubbock Sheriff's Department.

The 9-1-1 District is also testing new technology to make cell phones more traceable. "With this technology in place, when a person calls 911 from a wireless phone, a dispatcher will get a latitude and longitude which they can then input into a mapping program and get a physical location to where that call is being made from," said Michael Grossie, Executive Director, of Lubbock 9-1-1.

So far, Sprint PCS and T-Mobile are the two service providers participating in these tests. Although customers carrying older cell phones may need to upgrade to take advantage of that service.