Congressman Bishop Presents $161,167 Check to Miller and Baker County to Replace Obsolete 911 Equipment

COLQUITT, GA -Today, Congressman Sanford D. Bishop, Jr. (GA-02) presented a ceremonial check at the Miller County Commission offices which represent the $161,167 in federal funding that the Congressman secured as part of the Fiscal Year 2023 funding bill. The funding will be used to replace obsolete 911 consoles at the Miller-Baker Emergency Communications Center.

“These federal funds will help upgrade the 911 consoles at the Miller-Baker Emergency Communications Center so that our first responders – police, firefighters, and emergency medical technicians and others across nine emergency services and local agencies – can better coordinate and respond to crime, fires, medical emergencies, and natural disasters,” said Congressman Bishop.

“I will continue to work hard in Congress to support programs that make our community safer and better protect the lives of our first responders. I will also do my best to provide Southwest Georgia’s cities and counties with the resources they need to make public safety and equipment investments like this without placing additional strain on their budgets, ” said Congressman Bishop.

“We would like to thank Congressman Bishop for his assistance in being able to upgrade our communications equipment. This upgrade will solve a lot of issues that we deal with using an outdated system. It will allow us to communicate more effectively locally as well with the surrounding counties,” said Miller County Commission Chair Allen Worsley.

“Interoperable emergency communication is vital to initial response, public health, community safety and economic stability,” said Worsely.

“The Miller-Baker 911 Center is our lifeline in times of crisis. The first call that is usually made in case of an emergency is to 911. When every second counts, our 911 center needs equipment that will allow dispatch to notify law enforcement, fire, and rescue and/or emergency medical services immediately,” said Baker County Commission Chair Connie C. Hobbs.

“We strive every day to provide all the services needed to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens. Funding all these services is a daily challenge. We would like to thank Congressman Bishop for his assistance and support in providing the financial assistance needed to upgrade the Miller-Baker 911 equipment. Congressman Bishop has always, and continues to be, invested in securing resources for rural Southwest Georgia,” said Hobbs.

“These consoles will help Baker County and Newton police, fire, ambulance – as well as our counterparts in Miller County – quickly coordinate and securely communicate with one another so that we can better fight crime and keep our community safe,” said Baker County Sheriff Dana Meade.

Congressman Bishop is a senior member of the U.S. House of Representatives and leader on the House Appropriations Committee, which oversees federal discretionary spending. In addition to directing overall funding levels for federal departments, agencies, and programs – many of which operate or fund projects at the state and local level in Georgia and across the country – the Congressman was able to secure over $25 million in direct funding for several important projects in Middle and Southwest Georgia.

Another of these projects, overseen by the Southwest Georgia Regional Commission, will assist Miller and Baker Counties as well as Calhoun, Colquitt, Decatur, Early, Grady, Mitchell, Seminole, Terrell, Thomas, and Worth Counties purchase interoperable P25 radio system equipment for emergency services. The new 911 consoles that will be purchased by the Miller-Baker Emergency Communications Center with today’s funds are interoperable with the P25 radio system. Together, they will improve Miller and Baker County emergency services coordination with one another and other cities and counties in Southwest Georgia.

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