(KAIR)--Text to 911 is coming to Atchison County as part of an overhaul to the local 911 emergency communication system.

That message was delivered during Monday’s meeting of the Atchison City Commission. “There are currently 105 counties in Kansas. Thirteen counties do not have text to 911, so that is one thing that we will have after the first of the year, we’ll be able to get text to 911 in Atchison County,” Atchison County Joint Communication Director, Kim Pruett, told the Atchison City Commission. She and County Emergency Management Director Wes Lanter provided details pertaining to a joint resolution between the City and Atchison County to make the change a reality.

The County Commission gave their approval to the 911 Service Agreement at their April 30 meeting.

The change means the Mid-America Regional Council, known as MARC, will have ownership of the local 911 phone system and mapping.

MARC will pay for hardware, software, licensing, and other related fees, with the monthly payment of $5,131 to be funded through the local 911 fund.

Along with the forthcoming texting ability, Pruett told the City commission a number of other enhancements will also come through what’s known as NextGen 911. “We will also get RapidSOS which [will be] integrated with our mapping. Right now, when you call 911, it pings off cell phone towers. With RapidSOS, it’s going to ping off wi-fi and hotspots. That will give a better pinpoint of a person’s location.”

Despite the upgraded system, Pruett told the Commission day to operations will remain the same.

Following the presentation, the City Commission voted unanimously to approve the joint resolution.