County 911 system getting facelift

FINDLAY — Hancock County's 911 communications system is set for a major upgrade after commissioners approved two resolutions last week to modernize the county's emergency call network. The action follows a presentation in late April from 911 coordinator Brian Stozich, who told commissioners the county is overdue for its routine five-year system refresh. Commissioners approved a short-term contract with Intrado Life and Safety Inc. to cover services through October while the county transitions to the new system. The bridge assessment will cost about $48,000. A second resolution approved the full upgrade, which will cost $588,000 over the next five years. Both expenses will be paid for from the county's dedicated 911 fund, which is supported by state-level revenue and can only be used for 911 operations. Hancock County has contracted with Intrado since 2014. The most recent agreement, renewed in 2020, expired in December 2025. Assistant county prosecutor Phil Johnson told commissioners the company has continued providing service despite the lapse. Sgt. Mark Price of the Hancock County Commissioners said he supports continuing with Intrado. "We've been very satisfied with Intrado," Price said. "Their service, their technicians. They have technicians close to the area." Stozich said the county's upgrade aligns with Ohio's statewide transition to NextGen 911, which shifts emergency communications to an internet-based, cloud-supported system. "Every five years we regularly refashion our 911 system," Stozich told commissioners on April 21. "We're actually in year six… This year Ohio is going to jump everything to NextGen." An Ohio Department of Administrative Services webpage says Gov. Mike DeWine made the NextGen 911 adoption a priority in the 2024- 2025 budget "to improve emergency response times and ultimately save lives." In a phone interview, Stozich said the new IP-based system will reduce the amount of physical equipment the county must maintain and allow for faster repairs. It will also give dispatchers more flexibility with their user interface and improve GPS mapping. The upgrade will also bring text-to-911 and video-to-911 fully into the NextGen system. Those services are currently handled by third-party vendors. Stozich said that in previous years, new equipment was paid for upfront. This time, he asked commissioners to spread the cost over time to avoid draining the county's 911 fund at once. Commissioners agreed this was the best course of action.