SELINSGROVE – About 75 people turned out for a big announcement involving Snyder and Union Counties. Commissioners from both counties gathered with area police and fire personnel to announce their decision to merge the two 9-1-1 systems. This comes after a $50,000 PEMA funded feasibility study recommended the merger at a savings of more than a million dollars over five years.
Snyder County Commissioner Joe Kantz said now is the time to bring their two emergency service agencies under one roof, “We can see the writing on the wall. The state would not be putting specialized funding to consolidation projects like this if they didn’t believe in it and they didn’t believe that it’s going to be the future. We’re ahead of the curve.”
The consolidated facility will be located at the Snyder County Emergency Services site along Route 522 near Selinsgrove as it has more space to operate and would allow for expansion.
Kantz says the merged system will provide even better service, “I’m very comforted by learning that this is going to make a better system. Both counties are going to have a better call system. We’re going to have more staff to oversee those calls at critical times. The bottom line is we can’t miss a call. We have to be there every time someone calls 911.”
All current staff will be retained and it is expected some new hires will be made as well. The next step is the formation of a Consolidation Oversight Board and hiring a consulting firm. It will take about two years for the merger to be completed once necessary paperwork is signed on December 6. (Jennifer Wakeman/Ali Stevens)
