PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — South Dakota’s 811 system that helps protect underground utility services from accidental interruptions wants to get better location data from South Dakota’s 911 emergency-services system.

The state 911 Coordination Board took a step in that direction Thursday, directing its staff and legal counsel to draw up an agreement.

The 911 system originally received location information from the 811 system because of its accuracy, according to Maria King, state 911 administrator. She described the current request from 811 executive director Codi Gregg as a “role reversal” because 911 now has more accurate data that 811 would like to use.

The 911 board went into a closed-door discussion for about 20 minutes, then came back ready to move forward. “We consider it to be a public safety matter and we’re wanting to make sure that’s in the agreement,” acting chair Amy Leon of Yankton said.