Push continues to centralized dispatching in Mahoning County
Right now, Austintown handles calls for more than 20 different agencies as part of a local Council of Governments that oversees Mahoning County's 911 system. It's one of seven Public Safety Answering Points (P-SAP) in the county, and local fire chiefs say it's time for a change.
'When we see incidences that are worked every single day by multiple agencies, cohesively operating out of multiple dispatch centers, is a challenge and it's a safety concern,' said Boardman Fire Chief Mark Pitzer.
Pitzer points to last May's explosion at the Realty Building in Youngstown as well as the East Palestine train derailment as big examples. He addressed leaders with the local 911 COG saying responders had trouble communicating with each other directly because of so many different dispatching locations.
'And without having somebody to be able to coordinate those resources, that's where we have a problem,' Pitzer said.
Recently, Austintown notified its agencies indicating it needs to change the fees charged for dispatching — doubling what some communities are paying now. Officials say the change would help cover the costs of manpower, equipment, and technology and ensure all pay their fair share, but some think there's a better way.
'I think that when you consolidate, you have economics of scale and over time, you become more efficient and you save money,' said Western Reserve Join Fire District Chief David Comstock.
'We've seen a lot of communities throughout the United States that will tell you it does not save you money. It's like and ongoing research project on what's best for the taxpayers,' said Chief Deputy William Cappabianca with the Mahoning County Sheriff's Office.
While no decisions were made Tuesday, many don't see any coming soon. Leaders hope the discussion will push communities closer to one day working together to create a more efficient system that also saves money.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
29-07-2025
- New York Times
Union Pacific to Buy Norfolk Southern in $85 Billion Railroad Deal
Union Pacific, a freight rail giant, announced on Tuesday that it had reached an agreement to acquire Norfolk Southern, another large railroad, in a deal worth $85 billion. The merger would create the United States' first coast-to-coast rail network and span some 50,000 miles across 43 states. But the deal would put around two-fifths of rail freight in the hands of one company, raising fears that it would reduce competition in a crucial industry. Union Pacific, which operates west of the Mississippi River, and Norfolk Southern, whose tracks are mostly east of it, said the combined company would deliver freight faster by eliminating the need to switch railroads and opening new routes.. 'Railroads have been an integral part of building America since the Industrial Revolution, and this transaction is the next step in advancing the industry,' Jim Vena, chief executive of Union Pacific, said in a news release on Tuesday. The new company would be called Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad. Union Pacific said it was offering a combination of cash and stock for Norfolk Southern. 'It will make the railroads more efficient,' said Tony Hatch, a veteran rail analyst at ABH Consulting. 'And it adds reliability, which is the biggest rail issue.' The combined company would have over 50,000 employees, four-fifths of whom belong to unions. The merger announcement comes two and a half years after a Norfolk Southern train carrying hazardous materials derailed in East Palestine, Ohio, upending life in the town for months. Last year, the company fired of its chief executive for having an affair with its chief legal officer. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Yahoo
New Youngstown resident wins $300K lottery prize
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – A woman from Youngstown is richer after winning the jackpot in an Ohio Lottery scratch-off game. The woman won the top prize of $300,000 on the game Special Edition Cashword. The ticket was sold in January. The winner is originally from New Jersey but moved to Youngstown with her fiancé for his job in late 2024, according to the Ohio Lottery Commission. The woman told lottery officials that her fiancé bought her five $5 scratch-offs at a gas station, and she won $15. She left to visit family in New Jersey and when she got back, she ended up spending her winnings on three more tickets at Certified Oil on North Canfield Niles Road in Austintown. 'Something told me to get three Cashwords,' she told the commission. One of the tickets was the $300,000 winner, but she thought she had only won $5,000 because she couldn't find the 10th word in the game, so she scanned the ticket and the app showed the message, 'Congratulations! You won $300,000!' The woman said she plans to use the winnings to go on vacation and treat her fiancé. After mandatory state and federal taxes totaling 28%, she will receive $216,000. Special Edition Cashword is a $5 ticket with a top prize of $300,000. As of July 15, there are three top prizes remaining in the game. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Solve the daily Crossword
New York Post
01-07-2025
- New York Post
Wealthy steel magnate and family killed after their plane crashed in Ohio moments after takeoff
A wealthy steel magnate and his family were the victims killed in a plane crash in Ohio — after their twin-engine aircraft went down just minutes after taking off for their vacation to Montana. James 'Jim' Weller, 67, owner of Liberty Steel Industries Inc; his wife Veronica, 68; their son John, 36; and daughter-in-law Maria, 34; were traveling to Bozeman, Montana when the Cessna they were traveling in suddenly went down, WMFJ reports. The pilot, Joseph Maxin, 63 and co-pilot, 55-year-old Timothy Blake, were also killed when the plane crash just seven minutes after taking off from Youngstown Regional Airport on Sunday. Advertisement 6 John Weller, left, and parents James and Veronica Weller, center, with son Jimmy Weller, right. Courtesy Weller Family 6 First responders at the scene of a plane crash in Ohio. WKBN 6 Jimmy Weller, left, shown here with mother Veronica Weller, center, and father James Weller. Courtesy Weller Family The aircraft went down around two miles west of the airport in the backyard of a home in a heavily wooded area. Advertisement 6 Smoke is seen after a plane crashed in a wooded area in Ohio. WKBN The crash was described as the deadliest in the area's history by Howland Township Fire Chief Raymond Pace. 6 A fire is scene after a plane crashed shortly after takeoff in Ohio. WKBN via Joe Nuskievicz 6 Pilot Joseph Maxin was killed in the crash. APS UPRT Upset Training Advertisement First responders struggled to reach the crash site due to the dense woods, but were eventually able to recover all six bodies.
