NATCHEZ &045; In times past, if you called 911 in Adams County from your cell phone it was any dispatcher’s guess where you were calling from.

But by the end of today, if you’re calling from a Cellular South phone, they’ll be able to display your latitude and longitude on their computer screens with the touch of a button, saving minutes in emergency response time.

Not only that, but two other cellular companies with a big presence in southwest Mississippi &045; Centennial and Cinuglar &045; are also working on getting their enhanced 911 systems up and running.

And according to Federal Communications Commission regulations, their deadline to do so is by the end of the year.

&8220;This will make our dispatchers’ job a lot easier,&8221; said George Souderes, civil defense director for Adams County.

To become one of the three counties in Mississippi with such a system, Adams County &045; actually, the city, county, civil defense office and Soil Conservation Service together &045; had to hire a person to set up a computerized mapping system of the county.

That person, Peter Dale, works from the Soil Conservation Service office in Natchez.

The county also had to lease more modern computer equipment from BellSouth in order to able to receive such information. It costs the county $1,800 more a month in leasing fees, but Souderes said it’s well worth the money in that it could help save lives.

&8220;Say you’re out hunting and fall from a tree stand. Maybe you couldn’t walk but you could dial your cell phone,&8221; Souderes said. &8220;This way, (emergency responders) would be able to find you a lot quicker.&8221;

Wondering if your cell phone is too old to be part of the system?

Richard Reynolds, area manager for Cellular South, said all cell phones the company has sold in the last two-and-a-half years are capable of sending such information.