In a move that consolidates emergency services, Cobb County has officially taken the helm of 911 calls and dispatch duties for the City of Austell. This transfer, effective as of March 13, is expected to streamline operations for local emergency responses. According to a news release by Cobb County, the changeover was sanctioned by the Cobb County Board of Commissioners, marking a shift to what officials depict as a more unified system of handling crises.
Despite the backend shake-up, Austell citizens are assured by Cobb's emergency authorities that they'll be none the wiser when dialing for help. "The citizens of Austell should not even notice this transition has occurred," Melissa Alterio, the Cobb DEC Director, told Cobb County's news release. In absorbing the City of Austell's communications and dispatch, Cobb DEC expects to field an additional 10,000 calls per year, a number they anticipate will be a drop in the bucket compared to their 900,000 call volume.
Cobb DEC is proud to proclaim its commitment to delivering unwavering, expert service to the Austell public alongside their newfound responsibility. Revenue, to the tune of roughly $200,000 in 911 fees collected by the City of Austell in the previous year, will also transfer into the county's coffers, funds which come from state distributions meant to support the operations of such essential services.
"We are honored to extend our services to the Austell community and welcome the Austell Police and Fire departments as our public safety partners," Cobb DEC Director Melissa Alterio declared. The Austell citizens can take comfort in knowing that their calls will be handled professionally and effectively by the experienced team at DEC, who are both ready and willing to serve.
