Latest issueFort Smith lands $8M for 911 center; firefighters get 13.7% raiseRead now

Daily Fort SmithSubscribe — it’s free

← Fort Smith news

Public SafetyTuesday, November 3

Fort Smith wins an $8 million federal grant for the River Valley 911 Communications Center

The Daily Fort Smith teamFrom today’s edition · 1 min read · 2 sources

ShareEmailFacebookX

If you've ever dialed 911 in Sebastian County, this one's for you. The city of Fort Smith has been awarded an $8 million grant through the U.S. Department of Transportation's program. It will pay for a new facility and new equipment for the .

$8 millionfederal grant for the River Valley 911 Communications Center

It comes through the program, the city said in a Monday news release.

Sources: River Valley Democrat-Gazette, KNWA FOX24

The center is the consolidated 911 public safety answering point for Fort Smith and all of Sebastian County. The grant will also replace communications equipment that has been in service well beyond its expected lifespan, according to the city's release.

  • Local match: at least $2 million in nonfederal funds
  • Program match requirement: 20%
  • Next step: the city and USDOT finalize the grant agreement
  • Project plans: still preliminary

The $8 million grant comes with at least $2 million in local match

Sources: River Valley Democrat-Gazette, KNWA FOX24

View as table
Value
Federal grant$8 million
Minimum nonfederal match$2 million

“Competitive federal grants like this one allow the City to make a major public safety investment without putting the full burden on local taxpayers.”

Jeff Dingman, Fort Smith city administrator

Sources: River Valley Democrat-Gazette, KNWA FOX24

Read it in the full edition

More from today’s edition

Read the edition
City HallFort Smith directors approve a 13.7% firefighter raise and table $144,000 for Parrot IslandIf you know a Fort Smith firefighter, they had a good Monday. With at least 50 firefighters in the room, the Board of Directors unanimously approved a 13.7% pay raise. Directors also voted to start it Jan. 1, 2027, instead of April 11, 2027.Today’s editionRead

More public safety from local newsrooms

All public safety news

  1. River Valley Democrat-Gazette10 hours ago

    Fort Smith Board of Directors approves 13.7% pay hike for firefighters, tables spending $144,000 on Parrot Island’s outstanding expenses

    FORT SMITH -- The Board of Directors voted in unison to approve a nearly 14% pay increase for the city's firefighters on Monday.

    Also reported byTalk Business & Politics

  2. Talk Business & Politics18 hours ago

    River Valley 911 center to receive $8 million federal grant

    Wes Milam said news of a federal grant that will substantially help fund a new 911 call center in Sebastian County is “a huge relief,” and will eventually help police,...

  3. Northwest Arkansas Democrat-GazetteYesterday

    Van Buren man who denies breaking Fort Smith infant’s legs has autism, ‘lacks understanding,’ physician says

    FORT SMITH -- A Van Buren man has pleaded not guilty in a Sebastian County case in which he told police he squeezed a 7-week-old baby's legs together until they broke, according to Fort Smith police.

  4. Northwest Arkansas Democrat-GazetteNov. 1

    New leads into Lavaca man’s 2009 disappearance probed after extensive property search

    LAVACA -- Authorities including the FBI have completed their search of Lavaca property related to a recent tip concerning a 30-year-old man who was last seen in 2009.