MARIETTA - Emergency workers often don't know where to find people who call 911 across Georgia. <br>
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That's because most counties are like Cobb, where many calls for help come from cell phones. Unlike 911 calls from hard lines, wireless phones are difficult to pinpoint, and police or hospital officials don't know where to go to the rescue. <br>
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Cobb County is one of several Georgia counties working to upgrade to using mapping software and satellite technology to find the exact location of a cell phone caller. <br>
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Experts say all but two of Georgia's counties -- Clayton and Walton -- lack the technology needed to find 911 cell phone callers quickly in an emergency. <br>
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The problem is that technical difficulties and funding have kept many counties from being able to make needed upgrades. <br>
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Upgrading can be a technical and expensive process. Cobb County officials estimate it will cost about one million dollars and it likely won't be available until the end of next year. <br>
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In the meantime, other counties continue to use the wireless call system, which can only provide a caller's phone number and the cell tower where the call originated. <br>
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But even that is relatively rare. Only 1,140 counties -- about a third of the country -- have upgraded to this level, according to the National Emergency Number Association. <br>
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That system isn't very accurate because the cell tower where a call may come from may be miles from the caller.
