Editorial: Natchez, Adams County, Miss. E9-1-1 Dispatch Should be Consolidated

Jan. 29--Why is it that Natchez and Adams County's leaders seem to struggle to get together on even the most simple, most basic, most life-saving matters?

For years, we've asked why emergency dispatching services in Adams County are not consolidated.

We've never received an answer that makes much sense.

At one time, all 9-1-1 calls in the county were routed to a central dispatching facility located inside the Natchez Police Department's building.

Instead of merely being able to immediately send a nearby sheriff's office deputy, dispatchers had to transfer the calls to the Adams County Sheriff's Office, which insisted it needed its own dispatchers.

The problem with that is two-fold: The transfer takes time and the transfers could easily be dropped inadvertently.

A new call system installed last year allows county calls to go straight to the sheriff's office, which is good if the call is a matter for a sheriff's deputy. If the caller is calling about a fire or medical emergency, the calls must be transferred again.

Our community continues to live in the past with this antiquated notion that everything about city and county emergency response must be separate. It's ridiculous to continue transferring calls from agency to agency while lives and property hang in the balance.

City and county leaders are suppose to meet on Monday to discuss the dispatching issue, and we hope they will hammer out an agreement to put it all under one roof. Doing that will be more efficient, allow highly qualified personnel to handle the calls and improve the safety and well being of residents.

Copyright 2016 - The Natchez Democrat, Miss.