Planned 911 center could reduce dispatch times across Lake County

Every second counts in an emergency, and a new proposal to dispatch first responders quicker by building a new 911 center in Libertyville aims to give police and fire personnel the time they need.

The plan will be before the Lake County Board as part of the county's facility capital improvement plan for fiscal year 2022, which the board will approve or reject on Tuesday. If approved, the building - currently named the "Consolidated Emergency Operations Center, 9-1-1 Dispatch Center, and Emergency Telephone System Board Facility" - will move on to the design phase.

Its cost is estimated at $35 million.

"We are proud to support and help lead this important initiative, which will save Lake County taxpayer dollars and save lives by improving emergency response," Lake County Sheriff John Idleburg said. "I am grateful for so many stakeholders working together to provide exceptional service to the Lake County community."

According to county documents, by consolidating dispatching services, dispatchers will be able to direct first responders to emergencies with fewer steps and call transfers than currently required. Many Lake County municipalities already consolidate their dispatching services, especially after a 2015 state law that said a 911 operation cannot serve fewer than 25,000 residents.

The new center would offer further consolidation, but details are not yet finalized.

While the project has yet to go through the design phase, county documents show the building will be designed with the wellness of the dispatchers in mind because of their chaotic and stressful tasks. The building also will have modern employee break and wellness spaces.

There is reason to believe Uncle Sam could help foot the bill.

Late last month, U.S. Rep Brad Schneider, a Deerfield Democrat, announced the project was one of four in his 10th Congressional District that will be included in the 2022 Homeland Security Funding Bill.

"I am grateful that the Appropriations Committee included these local projects for consideration in their Homeland Security fiscal year budget," Schneider said. "I will continue to work to advocate for each of these projects as the legislation moves through Congress and is updated."

The project came from the Lake County 9-1-1 Consolidation Consortium, a 21-member group made up of representatives from Lake County municipalities and 911 dispatch services. The consortium was established in 2018 to improve 911 service and increase public safety efficiencies for residents and communities.