CORYELL COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — Two years after a 911 system failure in Coryell County, a new emergency response system is up and running, and officials say it’s already making a difference.
Developed by Natural Resources Solutions, the upgraded system is designed to address the flaws that troubled the previous one, including slow response times and location inaccuracies.
“I grew up in an era where there was no such thing as 911. Everything was called into a local dispatch and handled by radio,” Roger Miller, the Coryell County judge, said.
“From that standpoint, we are leaps and bounds above where we were even 12 months ago.”
Civil Livestock Deputy with the Coryell County Sheriff’s Office, Edward Meza, uses the new system daily and gave 25 News’ Allison Hill a firsthand demonstration of how it works.
“This is where we currently are right now,” Meza said, pointing to the system’s mapping interface.
One of the biggest issues with the old system, Meza said, was its inability to pinpoint exact locations, sometimes delaying response efforts. That’s no longer a problem.
“I’ll say, ‘Hey, take me to 510 East Leon Street.’ Then, it helps me get there. It will pull my vehicle right to where I need to be,” he said.
The new system not only improves location accuracy but also enhances coordination among emergency personnel. Responders can now see each other’s positions in real time, allowing for faster, more organized responses.
“That’s the most important thing: When an emergency comes up, life-threatening situations come up, where we are not wasting time because of outdated maps,” Meza said.
With the county continuing to grow, both Miller and Meza said having reliable, efficient technology is essential.
“Obviously, we are a growing county. As we try to manage our personnel and our resources and who are designated to do what particular task, this gives us another tool and another resource to be as efficient and responsive as we possibly can,” Miller said.
