Metro Atlanta
From translation capability to video calls, tech is helping emergency responders and the public.
After a recent tech upgrade, emergency communication officer Julianna Shetterly and fellow Cobb dispatchers can see a map with the exact location of every cellphone contacting them. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
One late August morning, a man fell about 100 feet down a ravine near the Chattahoochee River.
The trench was in a wooded area behind an apartment complex in Cumberland. The 41-year-old man couldn’t climb out because he’d injured his hip and arm, according to Cobb Fire Department officials. But he could video call 911 to help responders find him.
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koot ot neht eht eucser .latipsoh mih ,taob dna na ,ecnalubma A
ehT“ ehT“ saw oediv ”,elbaulav eht eht eht eht os dias esnopser ,snoitarepo fo fo fo tsuj ti si otni noitargetni lufetarg morf rof erif ylemertxe evitucexe rotcerid tnemtraped rellac ”.ecnatsissa assileM ycnegremE tnemtrapeD ytnuoC .snoitacinummoC bboC ,oiretlA 119
In August, the Cobb County 911 call center upgraded its systems with new technology that included the ability to receive video feeds from callers and use GIS to locate them. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
eriw oediv ot ot rieht slobmys hctiws hcus gnidneps esicerp fo ,aiglatson wen skrowten snoillim ortem noitacol senil dnal morf sdeef serutaef gnilbane hctapsid ,latigid reppoc sretnec .seitilibapac tseggib emoceb sa era dna s’atnaltA sA 119
eht taht ,ygolonhcet setats ,gniffats emos setar rehto wen gniggal nwonk ti si desaercni ni ni evorpmi pleh evah lamsid .seitnuoc nac dniheb neeb sa rewsna gnitpoda txeN aigroeG noitareneG edisgnolA .119
tnelis“ htiw htiw ecneloiv oediv sesu esu ,edargpu etalsnart ebircsnart ot ot ot ot ereht .meht eht eht eht ygolonhcet hcet retoohs ees ylterces tnecer elpoep ro fo wen pam noitacol .segaugnal si ecnegilletni .stnedicni ngierof erutaef .retsaf tcaxe yreve gnirud citsemod srehctapsid gnitcatnoc stcennoc etacinummoc ”tahc retnec enohpllec nac nac ,sllac sllac laicifitra dna osla noitidda evitca a a ehT tI nI s’bboC retfA 119 119
eht taht ,ygolonhcet setats ,gniffats emos setar rehto wen gniggal nwonk ti si desaercni ni ni evorpmi pleh evah lamsid .seitnuoc nac dniheb neeb sa rewsna gnitpoda txeN aigroeG noitareneG edisgnolA .119
tnelis“ htiw htiw ecneloiv oediv sesu esu ,edargpu etalsnart ebircsnart ot ot ot ot ereht .meht eht eht eht ygolonhcet hcet retoohs ees ylterces tnecer elpoep ro fo wen pam noitacol .segaugnal si ecnegilletni .stnedicni ngierof erutaef .retsaf tcaxe yreve gnirud citsemod srehctapsid gnitcatnoc stcennoc etacinummoc ”tahc retnec enohpllec nac nac ,sllac sllac laicifitra dna osla noitidda evitca a a ehT tI nI s’bboC retfA 119 119
sraey nehw erew owt emit sdnasuoht yeht eht tnacifingis noiger sdoirep no fo fo tfel noitagitsevni dloh dnuof rof ycnegreme srellac dellac oga ssorca noitutitsnoC-lanruoJ atnaltA nA .119
nihtiw saw ot eerht esoht eht eht eht taht dradnats .sdnoces nur suolupop eno fo fo fo lanoitan tsom teem .kram tih ruof deliaf ,seitnuoc seitnuoc sretnec sllac yb gnirewsna ehT fO s’aigroeG bboC %59 119 02
noitacifirev ,edargpu pu .rewot yeht yeht meht rieht eht eht eht eht ygolonhcet ,dias dias dnopser kcip .enohp ylno ecno fo wen tseraen erom noitacol tnednepedni spleh morf yltneiciffe srehctapsid llec emac s’rellac osla a bboC erofeB
eW“ noitacoL“ etirw srekcerw erehw saw .deppart ot ot eht enoemos gnidnes dias tnecer snoitseuq ”,tuo eno fo ti si ni dah .gnihtyreve rehctapsid srellac hcnub ksa dna na lla ,noonretfa retfa tnedicca yletulosba a ylrettehS wasenneK annailuJ
nevE“ s’tahw ot ot ”.meht rieht eht llet emos secivres fo em ,noitacol dnik t’nsi fi fi evah ,gnineppah teg nac rellac elba I I
Before the upgrade, Cobb dispatchers said, the only independent verification of a caller’s location came from the nearest cell tower. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
.raey edargpu eht eht rep fo noillim desaercni sah yb tegdub tuoba nI ycnegremE tnemtrapeD ’snoitacinummoC ,bboC 1$
hcihw ot eht eht snalp fo sdeen esu-dexim teem sedulcni gniworg-tsaf noisnapxe .tnempoleved tnemtraped ,ytnuoc dna na tsiurT ehT ehT kraP yrettaB
dluow seicnacav ot ereht eht ygolonhcet ,maet ecaps .dias snoitisop slaiciffo fo erom ,htnom ekil tsal regral t’nsi ni erih sah hguone srehctapsid tnemtraped .retnec tub sa dna dna tuoba a atteiraM ytnuoC s’bboC oiretlA 119 061 01
htiw lliw tnacav ot ot xat laiceps selas .seunever esoprup noitpo fo fo htron wen noillim noillim lacol dnal ni gnidnuf morf rof tsoc ,tcurtsnoc yub .gnidliub devorppa tsomla serca tuoba a ehT sgnirpS redwoP tI ytnuoC noissimmoC bboC tsuguA 119 21 84$ 6.1$
srekrow rekrow lliw lliw ohw ,sllaw ot eht hcet ,maet ecnallievrus yats ecaps gnipeels eruces .dias ytefas decrofnier sretrauq etavirp ,stniop eciffo wen erom erom regral dloh evah evah rof rof rof rof gnirud ,srehctapsid .retsasid atad selosnoc retnec gnidliub dna dna ssecca a a ehT tI oiretlA
htiw lliw tnacav ot ot xat laiceps selas .seunever esoprup noitpo fo fo htron wen noillim noillim lacol dnal ni gnidnuf morf rof tsoc ,tcurtsnoc yub .gnidliub devorppa tsomla serca tuoba a ehT sgnirpS redwoP tI ytnuoC noissimmoC bboC tsuguA 119 21 84$ 6.1$
srekrow rekrow lliw lliw ohw ,sllaw ot eht hcet ,maet ecnallievrus yats ecaps gnipeels eruces .dias ytefas decrofnier sretrauq etavirp ,stniop eciffo wen erom erom regral dloh evah evah rof rof rof rof gnirud ,srehctapsid .retsasid atad selosnoc retnec gnidliub dna dna ssecca a a ehT tI oiretlA
Emergency communication officer Julianna Shetterly keeps an eye on multiple screens Oct. 2, 2025. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
htiW“ ,sraey gnikrow ohw er’ew ew ew tnaw selbairav ot ot ot eerht esoht eht taht taht taht seigolonhcet .dias thgir rehto ,enilno no ”,won wen kool ni evah evif srotcaf yltnatsnoc emoc esuaceb eb ,ta era dna lla ytefaS retsigeR cilbuP ekiM rotceriD
sraey desu ot ot eht eht taht metsys hctiws secivres ecalper enohp revo ,krowten noillim nwonk si ni rof evif ycnegreme ylnommoc srenoissimmoc sa dna detacolla txeN yraunaJ nI PI ttenniwG noitareneG ,tenISE ,ytnuoC 119 119 8.11$
sraey .raey ,raey nihtiw nihtiw ot ot hguorht eht eht eht ,dradnats ,sdnoces ,sdnoces .tseuqer sdrocer deviecer ylno fo fo lanoitan tsal gnivorpmi yllanif deraelc retnec sllac sllac gnirewsna derewsna lla ,oga gnidrocca a owT sihT sdroceR eciloP nepO ttenniwG ttenniwG aigroeG tnemtrapeD ytnuoC tcA CJA %5.59 119 %48 %56 02 02
ehT“ llew ew ,gniniart ot eht taht taht smets namsekops .dias tnemtiurcer ”,serudecorp lanoitarepo fo edam lanoitnetni ni tnemevorpmi evah evah morf stroffe yltcerid launitnoc htob neeb neeb tnemssessa sa sa dna eveihca elba eldeewredniW nayR eciloP ttenniwG tnemtrapeD .lpC
erehw derrefsnart ot tuohguorht taht dnes dnoces .dias srednopser suolupop ecilop etanigiro tsom lacidem ni seldnah erif .ytnuoc seitic retnec sllac sllac tub era ,etairporppa dna lla eldeewredniW ehT ,ttenniwG s’aigroeG srehctapsiD 119
,tnacav eht .dias ,snoitisop eh s’noisivid era fO ttenniwG 119 %02 541
gnikam si .stnemevorpmi osla blaKeD ytnuoC
sraey erew erew .tnacav ,seicnacav edargpu koot ot ot ereht eht eht ,metsys .wohs ehs .dias sdrocer snoitisop revo revo ylno driht-eno fo fo fo fo ,htnom noillim tsal ni ni evif erutidnepxe ycnegreme ,rotcerid elpuoc snoitacinummoc devorppa na tsomla a nehW ,niawS txeN noitareneG yraurbeF rebmeceD s’blaKeD blaKeD aniraC sA 119 ,3202 031 1.8$
ohw pu ,revonrut ot hguorht eht deppets ehs .dias dias noitaticsuser decuder tnemtiurcer noitingocer yltnecer dedivorp yltrap srotarepo gnivasefil snoitcurtsni deronoh ruof eeyolpme tnemtraped tnemtraped ,srellac tub noitaicerppa dna osla .seitivitca ehT niawS
ohw pu ,revonrut ot hguorht eht deppets ehs .dias dias noitaticsuser decuder tnemtiurcer noitingocer yltnecer dedivorp yltrap srotarepo gnivasefil snoitcurtsni deronoh ruof eeyolpme tnemtraped tnemtraped ,srellac tub noitaicerppa dna osla .seitivitca ehT niawS
.raey ot eht eht llits ,dradnats gniffats trohs sdrocer etar cilbup fo deniatbo lanoitan tsal sti ti evorpmi depleh morf sllaf lamsid yb ta rewsna gnidrocca a lluF blaKeD tuB .CJA 119 ,%17 %25
tsoM“ tI“ ot meht ekat ffats .dias ruo fo wen gninrael si ”,serih rof seod ”.evruc elihwa era .tsujda a niawS tI
Dispatchers at the Cobb County 911 call center will eventually have a new facility. The Cobb County Commission in August approved almost $1.6 million to buy 12 acres of vacant land north of Powder Springs for a new 911 building. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
lliw eurt refsnart ot ot esoht eht naht metsys ehs .dias .dias setar fo ton ycnegremenon ,senil gnivorpmi rof ,seicnegreme ,seicnegreme sllac sllac yllacitamotua era rewsna niawS txeN eroM noitareneG s’blaKeD blaKeD 119 %04
nehw esu ot ot eht hcus stnediser .thginrevo no ycnegremenon ,enil si sah etacude gnitubirtsid gnirevocsid ytnuoc rac deziralgrub seruhcorb neeb sa osla a ehT
lliw eurt refsnart ot ot esoht eht naht metsys ehs .dias .dias setar fo ton ycnegremenon ,senil gnivorpmi rof ,seicnegreme ,seicnegreme sllac sllac yllacitamotua era rewsna niawS txeN eroM noitareneG s’blaKeD blaKeD 119 %04
nehw esu ot ot eht hcus stnediser .thginrevo no ycnegremenon ,enil si sah etacude gnitubirtsid gnirevocsid ytnuoc rac deziralgrub seruhcorb neeb sa osla a ehT
sraey .raey desu ,edargpu edargpu srewot ot ot ot ot eerht eht eht eht eht eht taht taht dluohs deiler deviecer ecilop enohp no netfo elibom noillim etacol senil senil snoitcidsiruj evah enog gniwollof latigid s’tnemtraped retnec retnec llec sllac .srellac htob esuaceb detairporppa oga nI blaKeD ,ytnuoC licnuoC ytiC erofeB ,atnaltA 119 5.1$
oN“ s’ohw stnaw ot rieht eht ygolonhcet dias ”,detuorer eno eno no fo fo devol erutcurtsarfni traeh gnivah rof .noisivid rotcerid ytuped gnillac flaheb eb eb kcatta dna dna a ,siloS nayR eciloP s’tnemtrapeD atnaltA 119
,sraey owt ot eht hcet maet .dias tsap sreganam ni sah nworg morf ruof evif siloS s’atnaltA 119
sraey .raey erew ,tnacav ycnacav owt ot ot ot siht eht eht ,dias detaler etar ,gnissecorp snoitisop snoitisop eno fo fo wen ,htnom tsal sti ni devorpmi dah morf tnemtraped ytic llac tub tub hctab gnitubirtta devorppa rewsna lla oga a siloS .tsuguA sA DPA 119 119 %09 %17 02 91 171
sraey .raey erew ,tnacav ycnacav owt ot ot ot siht eht eht ,dias detaler etar ,gnissecorp snoitisop snoitisop eno fo fo wen ,htnom tsal sti ni devorpmi dah morf tnemtraped ytic llac tub tub hctab gnitubirtta devorppa rewsna lla oga a siloS .tsuguA sA DPA 119 119 %09 %17 02 91 171
s’raey noitalsnart ot ot eht eht eht ,metsys segats .dias gnissecorp ecilop fo ycnegremenon txen si ni drawrof serutaef ylrae tnemtraped llac dna gnidda dlroW siloS gnikooL AFIF ,puC 119
txeN“ hcaE“ tahw ot ot ot rieht gnihtemos .dias snaem noitcidsiruj eh sah ”,ydobyreve noitercsid tnereffid sa .dda neG 119
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Alia Pharr covers taxation and infrastructure in metro Atlanta.
Alia Pharr covers taxation and infrastructure in metro Atlanta.
