By Tom Shaw
Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska)
Copyright 2007 The Omaha World-Herald Company
OMAHA, Neb. — Authorities in Pottawattamie County say the Feb. 16 search for a downed plane near Council Bluffs highlighted the shortcomings of the county’s 911 communications system.
The system does not allow rescue workers from different agencies to speak directly with one another.
It also gets clogged with emergency radio traffic when several accidents are being handled at once. That was the case during the plane search, when a number of accidents took place in the snowy, windy conditions.
County leaders want to buy the kind of updated radio system that such counties as Douglas and Sarpy in Nebraska already use.
The cost of the new system, including new towers, radios and a new 911 center, would be an estimated $24.5 million.
Pottawattamie County Board chairman Lynn Leaders said voters may be asked in June to approve bonds for most of that cost.
The owner of a home valued at $100,000 would pay about $30 more a year in property taxes if the bond issue passed, according to a county consultant.
Sheriff Jeff Danker said radio communications after the recent plane crash and other events, such as a large oil fire last fall, are a problem.
“It’s really a mess,” he said.
For future snow searches, the Sheriff’s Office has been given a snowmobile by Jim Hawk Truck Trailers of Council Bluffs.