The University of West Georgia is upgrading emergency pillar systems on campus, and Public Safety officials say the project should be completed by the end of January.

There are currently 32 operating emergency pillars on the UWG campus. Each pillar has a red button that automatically dials the campus police department. Students faced with an emergency situation can press the button and call for immediate help.

The pillars operate with analog cellular technology, but the systems will be replaced with digital cellular technology, Capt. Swain Harris from UWG Public Safety said. The change will result in faster response time and lower cost.

“Currently, analog is being phased out by cell phone companies -- you can get more telephone signals through digital than you can through analog, and it’s quicker and more reliable to be digital,” Harris said.

The university has already upgraded emergency pillars surrounding Bowdon, Boykin and Downs residence halls in July 2006, but due to cost issues, all pillars on campus could not be upgraded at that time. The university recently began to install the new technology on remaining pillars this month.

The current analog systems can take up to 15 seconds to connect to emergency dispatchers, but the digital systems will connect instantaneously, Harris said.

Carroll County Fire Rescue Deputy Chief Bud Benefield said the seconds saved from reduced response time can be crucial for any emergency.

“Sometimes a few seconds for law enforcement can make all the difference in the world,” Benefield said. “The more rapidly we service the call, the more rapidly help can be sent. In any emergency, seconds are critical. Medical emergencies -- sometimes just a matter of seconds can mean life or death. Or in an assault situation, it only takes seconds, or a fire -- a fire doubles in size in 21 seconds.”

Harris said that it can take between two to five minutes for UWG officers to reach the scene when responding to an emergency pillar, but it depends on the type of call.

“We have to classify each call coming in just like 911 does. It has a priority level,” Harris said. “If someone calls and says their car broke down, it will take longer for them because we consider that a service call. We give priority to crime.”

Harris said calls are dispatched based on the type of emergency, the number of officers on duty, the number of incoming calls and several other factors.

The new digital systems will also be more cost-effective. According to UWG Police Chief Tom Mackel, land-line analog connections to the emergency phones cost nearly $30 each month to maintain, whereas digital cellular systems will reduce monthly cost to $10.

“The up-front costs are always a little more. All electronics cost money, but generally new technology is less expensive to maintain,” Harris said.

The emergency pillars are tested every day Monday through Friday by campus Public Safety employees to make sure the systems are operating properly.

UWG Public Safety works with the Student Government Association to determine where emergency pillars should be placed around the campus.

“SGA helps in picking locations where they felt like students wanted emergency phones,” Harris said. “I’m sure there’s always room to add additional phones as the campus grows.”