City of Laredo Regional 9-1-1 Administrator Replaces Area Equipment Jim Hogg County, Roma, Rio Grande City, Starr County, Webb County and Zapta County all to benefit from updated equipment

Laredo, TX—April 1, 2005—The City of Laredo, as the 9-1-1 Regional Administrator for the four-county region of Jim Hogg, Starr, Webb and Zapata, has begun a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) 9-1-1 Equipment Replacement Project, at a total cost of $394,759.20, taking place over the next two months. Equipment upgrades will provide call takers with more accurate information to handle emergency calls more effectively and efficiently.

Residents in these areas, however, will not be facing additional services fees to cover the cost of this initiative.

According to the Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC), in Texas, 9-1-1 services are provided by a mix of 9-1-1 Home Rule municipalities, single purpose emergency communication districts and the state program administered by the CSEC and operated by the 24 regional Councils of Governments (COGs).

Funds for 9-1-1 services come from telephone customers in Texas who pay for 9-1-1 services through two fees on home, business and wireless telephone lines. The fees are as follows:
. 9-1-1 Service Fee – averaging about $0.50, depending on where the resident lives
. Equalization Surcharge – less than 1% on any long distance call made within the State of Texas

The money that is collected by the state is solely for 9-1-1- products and services. These 9-1-1 funds will pay for the PSAP 9-1-1 computer equipment – used to display 9-1-1 information, such as address and phone number – upgrade in the four-county area.

The schedule of upgrades is as follows:
Site & Location Start Date Completion Date Equipment Cost

Zapata County Sheriff’s Office 2/17/05 2/23/05 $67,799.61

Roma Police Department 3/2/05 3/9/05 $64,799.61

Starr County Sheriff’s Office 3/17/05 3/23/05 $64,799.61

Jim Hogg County Sheriff’s Office 3/24/05 3/30/05 $64,799.61

Rio Grande City Police Dept. 3/31/05 4/7/05 $64,799.61

Webb County Sheriff’s Office 4/7/05 4/13/05 $67,761.18

The City of Laredo has been the 9-1-1 Regional Administrator for the area since April 2004, when it requested the responsibility from the State of Texas, to be able to better service the rural, outlying South Texas counties.