The Kaua‘i County Council yesterday unanimously approved the release of more than $5 million in state funds to upgrade the county’s public safety systems for the next generation.

The decision will allow the county to go forward with a six-year public safety IT strategic plan that will implement improved technologies to boost the efficiency and effectiveness of emergency responders, county IT Communications and Project Manager Eric Knutzen said.

The money comes from E-911 surcharges that the state collects from cellular phone customers.

Kaua‘i Police Department Deputy Chief Mark Begley helped put the application together that set Kaua‘i up to become the first county in the state to receive funding from this pool. The state Wireless Enhanced 911 Board in June approved $5.32 million.

In 2003, the county identified the need for computer-aided dispatch and records management systems, which were installed over the next two years.

Later, a geographic information system was introduced in part to reduce costs of helicopter post-crime scene reviews.

In 2007, E-911 was implemented and GPS cellular locators made it possible to pinpoint for dispatch where the calls were coming from so officers could arrive on the scene sooner.

“We know from examples where this has saved lives,” Knutzen said. “It’s good, but there are improvements needed.”

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(Source: Nathan Eagle, Kauai Garden Island News)