An upgrade to Fulton County's 911 system that should mean fewer delays when people call for help is the latest in a series of improvements to the county's emergency communications system.
The latest improvements come on the heels of a $20 million investment that replaced a 20-year-old analog radio system with a digital one earlier this year.
The latest fix, an upgraded 911 system that debuted last week.
It works faster and more smoothly than the old phone system, which had been in place since 1998.
The upgrade, which cost nearly $1 million, allow caller’s location to be pinpointed more accurately.
One of the biggest improvements, said Joe Barasoain, the director of emergency services in Fulton County, relates to transferring calls. The county’s 911 center has to transfer more than 100 calls a day to other centers and sometimes had to take the time to look up a phone number.
Now, it’s as simple as clicking a button.
“It’s critical. We all do it,” he said. “If it shaves down one second for me, that’s a huge accomplishment.”
Barasoain said the changes make the act of connecting to another department faster and more seamless.
“The simple transfer of a phone call was delayed because of the amount of time it took,” he said. “The speed to answer the public’s call is much greater today.”
Eventually, said, the new system will allow for people to text 911 with their emergency. But not yet.
The county will continue to upgrade the system, including for text capability.
Fulton County Chief Operating Officer Todd Long said the improvement was overdue.
“It was much in need of repair,” he said. “We’re getting a better system operators can use.”
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