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Committee advances bill to centralize 9‑1‑1 mapping to reduce duplicate dispatches
Summary
SB179 would centralize GIS mapping for 9‑1‑1 and fire protection districts to eliminate overlapped or missing coverage that can cause duplicate calls or missed responses; Arkansas GIS office described gaps affecting many cross‑county fire departments.
Senator Blake Johnson told the committee SB179 is intended to centralize mapping for 9‑1‑1 centers and fire protection districts to reduce overlap and gaps that can result in duplicate dispatches. He said the centralization will improve efficiency in emergency response mapping.
Shelby Johnson, director of the Arkansas GIS office, described the scope: "We have 994 fire departments in Arkansas," she said, noting about 357 are municipal and many departments cross county lines, affecting 49 counties. Shelby Johnson said the Arkansas GIS office is working with the Arkansas 9‑1‑1 Board and the state to implement Next Generation 9‑1‑1 mapping and to feed standardized emergency‑service boundaries into the central system.
Supporters told the committee the change will reduce situations in which two adjacent fire districts are simultaneously dispatched or where gaps in the mapping could mean a caller is not routed to the correct responder. The committee voted to give SB179 a do‑pass recommendation.
