(06/20/06) NEWTON ? Leaders in Sussex County are mulling over significant changes to the area?s 911 system.

Currently, the county operates six public safety answering points, or PSAPs. Some officials want to know if it would be more efficient to consolidate the PSAPs instead of running six individual stations. With a grant from the state police, the county administrator started a feasibility study to look into the matter.

Although the consolidation would be instituted to save money, administrators want to make sure it will translate into real savings. For the most part, operators seem to welcome the idea. They say they support the idea of a central agency for county facilitators, the prosecutor?s office, sheriff?s department, roads, fire and emergency services.