Cumberland County went live on Dec. 14 with its new 9-1-1 Call Center, located in the County’s new Emergency Services Center at 500 Executive Place, Fayetteville. The transition of 9-1-1 telecommunications from its previous location in the Cumberland County Law Enforcement Center downtown went off without a hitch. 

“This is an exciting moment for Cumberland County as we transition to this new facility and dramatically enhance the work environment of our Emergency Services staff, and ultimately the level of service our Emergency Services Department and 9-1-1 Center are able to provide for our citizens in their time of need,” said Cumberland County Commissioners Chairwoman Toni Stewart in a press release. “This has been a priority for the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners dating back to Hurricanes Matthew and Florence, and I am thrilled this day has finally arrived.”

The new center features next generation 9-1-1 equipment, including a phone system with text-to-911 capability. It also allows for rapid call routing to other 9-1-1 centers in the event the facility must be evacuated. In addition, the audio-visual system has been designed to allow for maximum communication and flexibility, which is integral to emergency management and response. 

“We had long outgrown the space we had in the LEC,” said Telecommunications Manager Adam Johnson in a press release. “We started with humble beginnings to serve the public and rapidly grew the size of our staff and the services we offered the public. This new facility will allow our amazing team of Telecommunicators and support staff to flourish.” 

Calling is the best and fastest way to reach 9-1-1, but it is possible to receive emergency assistance by text to 9-1-1. Reasons to consider texting 9-1-1 include:

• You are deaf, hard of hearing or have a speech disability.
• You are in a situation where it is not safe or possible to speak out loud to 9-1-1.
• You are having a medical emergency and cannot speak on the phone.

For information about Emergency Services, visit cumberlandcountync.gov/emergencyservices.