News from the Oklahoma Corporation Commission

Office of Public Information -- Phone: (405) 521-4180 FAX (405) 521-6945

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Patrick K. Petree Reference: PUD12-9-97-(93)

New Rules Clear Way for Better 911 Emergency Telephone Service

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has put rules in place that will help communities throughout Oklahoma provide enhanced emergency telephone systems to their residents.

The newly adopted rules establish the requirements and procedures for obtaining money from the Oklahoma E911 Emergency Service Fund, established earlier this year by the Oklahoma Legislature in House Bill 1815 to help pay for the cost of purchasing and installing equipment for enhanced 911 systems.

Regular 911 systems let callers contact emergency service providers, such as police and fire departments, by dialing the three-digit 911 code. Enhanced 911 systems automatically identify the location from which the 911 call was made, to improve response time and efficiency.

Gov. Frank Keating approved the rules on an emergency basis so they could become effective immediately. Application forms and a guide for completing the forms became available from the commission's Public Utility Division on Nov. 3. The forms are for the filing period of Dec. 15, 1997, through Feb. 15, 1998. Permanent rules will be submitted for approval by the governor and the Legislature early next year.

The $5 million E911 Fund revenue comes from payments made by local-exchange telephone companies. The commission's Public Utility Division will administer the fund.

Assistance is available to governmental entities that have complied with the Nine-One-One Emergency Number Act and is limited to $25,000 for a single city/town system, $50,000 for a multi-city/town system, $100,000 for a county-wide system and $150,000 for a multi-county system.

E911 Fund money cannot be used for ongoing operating expenses, and applicants must prove they have an adequate source of ongoing funds to operate the enhanced 911 emergency system before they will be considered for E911 Fund assistance, the rules specify.

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The rules also specify that funding preference will be given, in order, to areas of Oklahoma not served by a 911 system before July 1, 1997, upgrades of regular 911 systems to enhanced systems, and expansion of present enhanced 911 systems to include areas not served by any 911 emergency system.

In each category, preference will be given to systems demonstrating the most need, including consideration of the size of the area served and the number of emergency calls handled.

The fund administrator will evaluate each application within 45 days and recommend to the commission whether the application should receive immediate funding, be placed on a waiting list for future funding, or be denied.

The Corporation Commission will make the final determination of the administrator's recommendations after a public hearing.

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(Editors Note: For details beyond the content of this news release, please contact Maribeth Snapp, deputy general counsel-public utilities, at (405) 521-2259.)