History

 

On the November 5, 1985, general election ballot, voters in Potter and Randall Counties were asked to consider a proposition to create the Emergency Communication District and authorize a 9-1-1 emergency service fee to be charged by the District for the purpose of establishing and maintaining E9-1-1.

 

By a margin of 12,404 to 1,131, the voters approved the formation of the Potter-Randall Emergency Communications District.  After the election, the city, village, and county governing bodies passed resolutions of participation.  The resolutions stated that the city, village or county would become a participating jurisdiction in the District pursuant to the provisions of the Emergency Telephone Number Act.

 

Legislation

 

During its 1985 session, the 69th Texas Legislature passed Article 1432e (Section 772, Texas Health and Safety Code), Emergency Telephone Number Act, which provided for the creation, administration, expansion, funding, and dissolution of emergency communication districts in certain counties in Texas. The Emergency Telephone Number Act is the legislation under which the Potter-Randall Emergency Communications District operates.

 

Purpose

 

Section 772.302, Texas Health and Safety Code, states the purpose of the Act to be the following:
“To establish the number 9-1-1 as the primary emergency telephone number for use by certain local governments in this state and to encourage units of local governments and combinations of those units of local government to develop and improve emergency communication procedures and facilities in a manner that will make possible the quick response to any person calling the telephone number 9-1-1 seeking police, fire, medical, rescue and other emergency services.”