Muskogee County lags behind in emergency service

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) -- Muskogee County residents are still waiting for countywide 911 service as nearby counties establish their own. "It's going to take a vote of the people to OK it," said Dexter

Friday, January 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MUSKOGEE, Okla. (AP) -- Muskogee County residents are still waiting for countywide 911 service as nearby counties establish their own. "It's going to take a vote of the people to OK it," said Dexter Payne, Muskogee County commissioner. "But we probably will not have our ducks in a row to get it on a ballot this year."

About one-third of Muskogee County already has 911 service, including Fort Gibson and the greater Muskogee area. But the southern and western portions, including Haskell, Webbers Falls, Council Hill and Boynton, must dial seven-digit phone numbers to receive emergency services. Payne said commissioners were waiting for cost estimates to expand services. Muskogee County will need to number homes and businesses and do away with postal rural routes for an enhanced 911 system, which allows a dispatcher to see a caller's phone number and address when a call is made.

Robert Major of Webbers Falls isn't upset that his town is not included in the Muskogee area with 911 service, but he would pay for it, he said. "I've never had a need for it, but I would be willing to pay for it even if it was in the $1.50 range," Major said.

Nearby Cherokee and Wagoner counties have scheduled to have countywide 911 enhanced service soon. And Sequoyah County has had the service since July. Like Muskogee, McIntosh County has 911 available in one-third of its area. But Harry Trottier, director of McIntosh County emergency management, said he hoped to have all of the information to expand the service countywide in time for a vote this year.