DANVILLE -- Montour and Columbia Counties already work together on prison and court matters, but commissioners say the two 911 centers in the neighboring counties will soon become one.
Both the Montour County commissioners and the Columbia County commissioners have voted to approve the idea.
Montour Commissioner Jack Gerst says this move will save taxpayers a lot of money.
"We're talking hundreds of thousands of dollars. I can't give you an exact figure right now because like I said we're still in the preliminary stages," Gerst said.
"I think that saving money would help, especially here in Danville," Sabrina Hoover said.
While Sabrina Hoover of Danville is happy to save money, she's concerned about some parts of the merger. Montour County's current 911 center is close to her home. The new center will be in Bloomsburg about nine miles away. Hoover says she's had to call 911 in the past because her son Thomas had seizures.
"The amount of response was very fast and quick. So it does kind of make me think twice if it's going to be as quick," Hoover said.
"In Danville here we get it quick. But if they get it up in Bloomsburg it may take a little longer," Don Deitrick said.
But Gerst says that won't be the case. He says the commissioners are confident there will not be a drop in emergency response time.
"We will have three, four staff from here go there so again, I know people are worried they won't know my road, but we will have people there who will know the roads," Gerst said.
Gerst says he is not sure if any emergency responders will lose their jobs due to the merger because some people may retire.
Commissioners say they hope to have the 911 centers combined by early next year.
