The Knox County Regional Communications Center will soon be able to take 911 calls again after staffing shortages forced it to outsource that part of its operations to Waldo County for more than six months.
After hiring new workers and reviewing operating procedures, compensation and benefits, interim Knox County administrator Gordon Page said in a press release that the dispatch center will be ready to start its operations as a public safety answering point by May 1.
Last summer, the county dispatch center lost its certification as a public safety answering point, which is required for it to take 911 calls. Since then, the center has been dispatching police, fire and rescue workers after receiving 911 call information that’s relayed from Waldo County’s communication center.
The Maine Public Utilities Commission has approved Knox County’s request to take those calls beginning on May 1, according to a spokesperson. It expects the dispatch center to complete any remaining training and conditions before the end of April.
The communications center will keep its contract with Waldo County through May to give the newly recertified dispatch center a buffer while it starts taking 911 calls again, according to Page.
Some fire and rescue agencies have reported problems with the outsourcing arrangement, including delayed response times and inaccurate addresses. Because of those reports, Rockland city officials sent Knox County a letter in March offering to assume management of the center.
While Knox County gets back to answering 911 calls, it will continue to examine whether such a takeover is warranted, but it doesn’t appear necessary so far, according to Page.
“Because the County has not yet made such a determination, it is premature to engage in that process,” Page said.
Rockland City Manager Tom Luttrell did not immediately respond to a request for comment.