Cayuga County's 911 system is broken, and while a long-term solution may be several years away, a short-term solution is vital for public safety.

Because the aging radio system used by the county to contact police, fire and medical agencies is prone to malfunctions, there are times - especially in the southern part of the county - when fire departments are completely out of contact with emergency dispatchers.

A patchwork backup plan using land line telephones, cell phones and text messaging is supposed to keep people in touch during radio breakdowns, but some fire department chiefs say messages either aren't being sent or aren't getting through, and that leaves residents vulnerable.

There will be no quick-fix. Overhauling the entire system may take as long as five years and cost millions of dollars, but a reliable interim system needs to be put in place before tragedy strikes.

We see a communication problem on two levels. Obviously, losing radio contact is the main concern, but there also seems to be a lack of communication - perhaps aggravated by personality conflicts - between all the parties involved, and that needs to be addressed immediately.

County emergency responders and those responsible for emergency communications need to come to the table, literally, and talk about what can be done to solve this problem.

Perhaps county legislator Ray Lockwood should be the one to facilitate this meeting as he's in charge of the Legislature's Public Safety Committee and has said this issue is his top priority.

The county's fire chiefs need to cooperate on this issue, too, not butt heads with county officials.

We hope the Legislature can fast-track the long-term fix for the 911 system, but, in the meantime, everyone involved needs to work cooperatively to make sure there are no more gaps in communication.

Public safety demands it.