LAURENS COUNTY, Ga. — Laurens County is set to get a new 911 center that will cost around $2 million.
The center is more than 30 years old. But, soon, they'll be doubling their space to serve the communities better, increasing call volume.
Bill Laird is the county's E-M-A and 9-1-1 director. He says the center dispatches for seven different agencies, including Laurens and Dublin Law enforcement.
"We're planning for future expansion. As call volumes would increase, we don't want somebody that may have my job in ten years. To say we need a bigger, newer 911 center, we've outgrown this space," Laird said.
When someone calls the center, it looks for a location from a cell phone based on where they are from a tower.
With the new facility-- they will be able to implement newer technology giving them the exact location from where the caller is at.
"There are actually some software and mechanisms out there to allow you, if it's a multi-story building, to see what floor of the building they're on," Laird said.
This is all to ensure they send enough and the right resources. Laird says that, within the next year, folks will be able to text 911 directly.
"We currently have the ability now if a crime was in progress to be able to send that caller a link," He said.
If the caller clicks the link, the 911 center will receive their exact location.
The center will also be able to see live streaming video from the caller's phone. Laird says by the end of February 2024, they hope to have the new 911 center up and running.