Adam Olexy Sr.

Shickshinny May Get Warrants To Do Flood-plain Checks 
Under Orders From Fema, The Borough Has To Get Seven Homes, Two Businesses And 
A Shopping 
Center Into Compliance With 
Regulations Or Risk Losing 
Federal Flood Insurance

Friday, December 11, 1992 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 10A QUICK WORDS: 911 





Let's move ahead with a 911 emergency system &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 (EDITORIAL) &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In an emergency, a few seconds often can mean the difference between life
and deathAnd that, at the bottom line, is what a 911 emergency system
provides: an alert to emergency personnel at least a few seconds faster -- and
sometimes minutes faster -- than when a problem must be relayed through a
seven-digit phone call, and then through several other channels. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The difference between life and death. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That phrase is why Luzerne County must move forward with the establishment
of a 911 system, especially now that the state has made it clear that the
county does not need the approval of local municipal officers to do so. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 That is not to say area municipalities ought to be snubbed in the process
-- which is why the county commissioners are wise in scheduling a meeting at
10 a.m. Dec. 18 in the courthouse for all police chiefs and other emergency
personnel. After all, they are the key to the success of whatever system is in
operation. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 There seems to be a misperception that a centralized system would somehow
lead to the loss of local dispatcher jobs and the inability of local
governments to monitor their own emergency situations -- the fear of big
government versus local control, if you will. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But that is not the case. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Experience in other counties shows that only 2 percent of all 911 calls
deal with life-threatening emergencies, according to John Patten, 911
coordinator for the state Department of Community Affairs. That leaves a lot
of routine calls for local governments to deal with, and a lot of work for
their dispatchers and emergency crews. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 And even those life-threatening emergencies still will be dealt with by the
local governments. The 911 system just allows them to do so quicker. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Yes, like practically everything else worth having, a 911 system does not
come without a price tag. But, at $1.25 per month per phone line on all phones
in the county, the cost of the system seems inexpensive -- especially when you
consider what it could buy any of us at any given moment: our lives. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The county should move forward on this system as rapidly as possible.

Let's Move Ahead With A 911 Emergency System (editorial) In An Emergency, A Few Seconds Often Can Mean The Difference Between Life And Death.