For emergency responders, the slightest delays could be the difference between life and death. In light of that simple fact, Missouri's Polk County Emergency 911 Center recently replaced its limited computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system to improve efficiency in the field.

After going live this summer, the center's new CAD system from Global Software Corp. gives dispatchers access to address histories, records from law enforcement agencies and lists the availability of officers and units. Perhaps the biggest upgrade is the map-based software, which traces landline calls for dispatchers and triangulates cell phone calls within three meters.

Because the older system had no map, dispatchers lost precious time trying to pinpoint call origins.

"We had no way of knowing where they were," said Richard Roark, director of the 911 Center. "It could create an additional minute or two and sometimes more than that to locate somebody."

With the old dispatching system, responders also had to open a separate incident file for each responding department. Also, they had to manually record the times for on-scene dispatch. If they could type fast, they could fill it out in the field, Roark said. Otherwise, they would need to return to the station and fill the information into a form. All of these delays could add up.

The new software cuts down on paperwork by allowing all departments to be included in one incident. An automated time-stamping feature erases the time it takes to write the information by hand.

In addition to improving efficiency, Roark said the new system enhances connectivity. For example, the software is connected through fiber optics to a records management system used by the Polk County Sheriff's Office and the Bolivar Police Department. Rather than faxing information, the 911 Center dispatchers now can close reports and send them directly to law enforcement, and the departments can share photos and exchange other pertinent data with the click of a button.

When it comes to data, the new CAD system's address history is also critical for dispatchers. When you type in an address, Roark said, the system will show any times that an officer has been to that location before, and an alert will pop up depending on the danger level of the situation.

The overall goal is to improve service throughout the county. Some addresses need to be updated in the system, and Roark admits that it will take time for dispatchers to fully grasp the new technology.

"They say it takes six months to a year before you get it all figured out," he said. "We're still experimenting with it and learning."

But the new system is already saving dispatchers between one and two minutes per call, he said, which goes a long way in emergency responders' line of work.

"It gives them a lot more information at their fingertips," he said.