A 911 call is supposed to reach the nearest cellphone tower and, regardless of location, a dispatcher should be able to transfer across state lines.

However, as KFOX14 previously reported, that didn't happen when a Northeast El Paso man was routed to Otero County. Otero County dispatchers said transferring the call to El Paso couldn't be done, and that has prompted a state investigation.

Donald Fisher said he called 911 Monday from his home when his roommate had a seizure, but dispatchers answered from a neighboring county and couldn't transfer the call.

KFOX14's story prompted an investigation by state officials in charge of the New Mexico dispatch system.

Not only does the system allow 911 calls to be transferred from one county to another, the call can be transferred out of state – although that requires a different procedure the dispatcher may not have been familiar with.

"We believe it's an education issue. We need to reach out to our (public safety access points) especially in the border areas in parts of New Mexico that border other states, which we are making an effort today to make sure that we communicate those calls to the dispatchers," said Tim Korte, spokesperson for the New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration.

The state has taken immediate action and contacted all dispatch centers in the area to let them know they can transfer calls across state lines. They are planning training sessions as well.