Kankakee County Emergency Telephone System Board

• Jim Phelps, Chairman
• Mike Downey, Vice Chairman
• Don Barber
• Dave Horn
• Jim Keener
• Scott O’Brien
• Robin Passwater
• Kathleen Slavin
• Glenn Wulff

The Kankakee County Emergency Telephone System Board (ETSB) was established in 1989. It is made up of nine members representing and appointed by the County Board, City of Kankakee, Village of Bradley, Village of Bourbonnais, Fire Chiefs, and the Mayor's Association. Each member serves a three-year term.

The Board meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each even month at 8:00 am. There are standing committees of Personnel, Police/Fire Services, Training and Education, and Finance / Technology that meet as needed.

The ETSB oversees the operation of the Kankakee County Combined Communication Center (KanComm). They employee 35 full-time telecommunicators which dispatch for 17 fire departments, 14 police departments including the Sheriff’s Department plus Animal Control, Coroner, Probation, and special Task Forces.  

Accomplishments

• January 1989 - Established the ETSB through referendum
• March 1992 - Received 1st 9-1-1 call
• August 1994 - Wireless 9-1-1 implemented
• October 1996 - Mobile Data
• June 2001 - Phase I Wireless started
• 2001 - Intergovernmental Agreements to create joint dispatch center
• August 2002 - Activated WARN System
• October 2002 - KanComm opened
• December 2004 - Phase II Wireless
• 2006 Simulcast paging system installed
• 2013 Next Generation 9-1-1 equipment installed
• December 2016 Bourbonnais consolidated with KanComm
• November 2018 Text 2 9-1-1 implemented
• January 2019 RapidSOS for call locating
• April 2020 Bradley consolidated to KanComm
• June 2020 Migration to StarCom 21

Stay Updated

• For more information on a career opportunity with KanComm, email Kevin McGovern at kmcgovern@k3county.net
• To get emergency alerts: Text “KANCOMMALERTS” to 99411 to enroll.
• Register online for emergency alerts.
• To register your special needs: Premise Alert Form