A sudden failure of Polk County, Ga.'s primary 911 phone lines on Sunday sent emergency calls across the county line to Bartow County, where dispatchers stepped in so residents could still reach help. Officials put out three backup numbers - 770-387-5195, 678-988-6262 and 770-652-3439 - and urged people to treat the disruption as a real emergency, not a drill. County staff were working to restore the main system, but as of Sunday afternoon there was still no timeline for when it would be fixed.
Polk County's E-911 and emergency management teams issued an alert after technicians found a disruption in the county's primary phone lines. According to Polk County E-911, dispatchers shifted phone traffic to a neighboring communications center and reminded residents to update their Smart911 profiles. The county also pointed people to its non-emergency business line for routine questions while the outage is being addressed.
Calls Rerouted To Bartow County
WSB-TV reported that Bartow County's E-911 center took on Polk's calls while the system was offline, with Bartow communications staff confirming they were handling Polk County emergencies during the disruption. Officials have not yet released any information about what caused the outage.
Backup Numbers And How To Reach Help
If dialing 911 does not go through, county officials say residents should call one of the three backup lines for immediate help: 770-387-5195, 678-988-6262 or 770-652-3439. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that callers using those secondary numbers should be ready to clearly explain where they are located. Emergency responders also asked residents to stay on the line if they dial 911 or a backup number by mistake so dispatchers can confirm there is no actual emergency.
Officials Warn Against Non-Emergency Calls
FOX 5 Atlanta noted that officials stressed "the situation is a real emergency and not a test." Authorities reminded residents that non-emergency calls to 911 can clog up lines that might be needed for life-threatening situations, and asked people to use non-emergency numbers for routine issues. Polk County stated it will provide updates through its official channels as repair work continues.
There is still no estimate for when Polk County's regular 911 service will be back online, and officials are encouraging residents to keep an eye on county announcements and the Polk County website. For non-urgent concerns, residents are advised to stick with local non-emergency numbers until normal service returns.
