Press Release

HARRISBURG, Pa. - The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) today approved the contribution rate for the local 911 system for Delaware County.

The Public Safety Emergency Telephone Act of 1990 provides for a statewide 911 emergency communication system to be administered by Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). The law allows counties to recover the cost for 911 systems by assessing a fee on every telephone line. The local phone companies collect the fees for the county. The maximum fee that can be collected per telephone line is $1 for first and second class counties, $1.25 for third through fifth class counties and $1.50 for sixth through eight class counties.

Delaware County, a second class county, is not requesting any change in the current contribution rate of $1.00 per access line per month. The county has a population of approximately 555,000. Verizon (formerly Bell Atlantic and GTE) serves the county.

The PUC reviews the contribution rates requested by the counties to make sure they do not exceed the allowable amount. The PUC then forwards a decision to PEMA. The PUC has 90 days to submit its recommendations to PEMA as to whether the counties proposed contribution rates should be approved or modified. The plan and the surcharge are effective from the date of the PUC order for a period of three years.