Emergency officials have a back-up plan.
Prince William County opened a new 911 Call Center that personnel will be able to use if the main call center stops operating.
Officials recently participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony, according to a release from Prince William County.
“This is a big day for all of us in the public safety community, for our community at large and for our public safety communication on both the police and the fire side,” Police Chief Barry Barnard said in a release. “It’s not about one person, or even one team. It’s multiple teams of people working together for the common good, to enhance public safety.”
Before the center, it could have taken hours for services to be functioning again, according to Public Safety Communication Center Director Eddie Reyes. This time is expected to decrease to 20 minutes or less.
“We now have a full-time, dedicated facility,” Reyes said in a release. “One that, in minutes, not hours, will be able to restore full 911 capability in Prince William County.”
The back-up 911 Call Center not only saves time — it offers additional protection.
“This has been years in the making, and it just folds right into the county’s strategic plan of keeping the public safe and secure,” Prince William Fire and Rescue System Chief Tim Keen said in a release. “This also goes another step in ensuring that all of the first responders out on the street are safe.”
