The city of Columbus is spending $1.9 million on new technology for the municipal 911 call system, allowing people to send videos, text messages and photos during an emergency. Columbus Deputy Safety Director Dan Giangardella:
Giangardella: Probably the first major upgrade to our 911 system in about 15 years. Almost three-quarters of the calls we get now are through cell phones, and as technology continues to improve, we will be able to meet those demands.
Franklin County officials began installing similar technology in February. The technology is part of the FCC's program made in response to the Virginia Tech shootings of 2007.