Long Island gets grants to upgrade emergency services

Long Island’s first responders will be getting some help from the state to improve emergency dispatch services.

Suffolk County will receive $203,083 and Nassau County got $130,097 in grant funding from the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services to help bolster the Island’s emergency response operations.

The counties can use the funds to upgrade dispatching technology and services like text-to-911 and geolocation.

The Public Safety Answering Points Grant program is supported by the Statewide Public Safety Communications Account, with funding allocated based on emergency call metrics, area demographics and other needs.