911 center serving Johns Creek makes progress

by Jennifer Chapman
NorthFulton.com

January 28, 2010

JOHNS CREEK - City Manager John Kachmar told City Council that the Chattahoochee River 911 Authority (ChatComm), the 911 center that has served the city and Sandy Springs since last September, is reducing emergency response times.

"We have more effective 911 center operations than either city had in the past," said Kachmar. The 911 center is currently in the process of implementing a new record management system, which will launch in April.

"Because of ChatComm, we have a much better handle on the response times," said Kachmar, who added that the time reduction in dispatch of time is about 1 minute, 11 seconds. Under Fulton County, that number was nearly 3 minutes, said Kachmar.

"That minute and a half if the difference between life and death in many calls," he added.

Kachmar said since the new 911 center operation began, all of the center's computers are now syncronized with the same time stamps and the center has the capability to digitally record and log all of the calls.

"We're moving very well into where we should be," said Kachmar. "It's not perfect - nothing is - but it's getting there. Right now I give it an 'A' and I want to give it an 'A+'."

The state of Georgia gives jurisdictions the ability to assess up to a $1.50 fee per phone line (landline, mobile and VoIP) per month to assist with the funding of location-based technology that ensures emergency responders are dispatched to the correct location. Prior to September 2009, those fees were remitted to Fulton County, since they provided the 911 call answering and emergency dispatch services.

Kachmar said while the majority of fees are being redirected to the city, many of the fees from Johns Creek phone lines were not redirected to the city. Johns Creek is asking residents and businesses to check their phone bills (October 2009 or later) to ensure that fee is sent to Johns Creek. There is a 911 fee survey for residents and businesses on the city's Web site, www.johnscreekga.gov.

Kachmar reviewed several police department statistics, including the number of dipatched and officer-initiated calls since the start of ChatComm. Officer-initiated calls are calls where the officer is inquiring about something he or she is observing, such as traffic stops or suspicious vehicles, according to Police Chief Ed Densmore.

In December, for example, 1,586 dispatched calls were made and 2,790 officer-initiated calls were made to the center. Kachmar said these numbers indicate a proactive approach on behalf of the police department, making Johns Creek a safe place.

Kachmar said he will update City Council with fire department statistics at a future council meeting.