An investigation last year by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution revealed alarming statistics regarding 911 call response times across metro Atlanta, showing many callers were left waiting too long for operators to answer.
The National Emergency Number Association recommends that 95% of emergency calls should be answered within 20 seconds, a benchmark that many departments, including Atlanta’s, were struggling to meet.
Fast forward one year, and a follow-up survey conducted by the AJC on seven core 911 metro agencies indicates notable progress, especially in Atlanta, where the response rate improved significantly.
In 2024, Atlanta’s E911 center achieved an impressive 84% of calls answered within the target timeframe, a considerable rise from the previous year’s 71%.
As of last month, that figure has risen further to an impressive 90%, marking a year of considerable strides in emergency response.
Lisa Henley, the deputy director of operations for Atlanta E911, emphasized that hiring more staff has been pivotal to this improvement.
The center added 15 call takers this year but is still working toward full staffing levels, continuing its recruitment efforts.
“911 is a revolving door,” Henley remarked, underscoring the constant need for personnel in the challenging environment of emergency response.
The concerning reality of lengthy hold times was highlighted in personal stories from last year, including an account from a southwest Atlanta woman whose family had to navigate busy traffic to get her to a hospital after she sustained a bullet wound, and a young boy who waited while drifting in and out of consciousness following a scooter accident.
In many such instances, callers abandoned their attempts to reach help while listening to a repetitive hold message.
However, thanks to the improvements made, the number of callers hanging up before speaking to a call taker decreased by over 80% compared to May 2023.
“This proves that we’re answering calls faster, leading to fewer abandoned calls as people are now getting through more reliably,” Henley noted.
To alleviate the volume of emergency calls, the Atlanta E911 center has introduced alternative reporting methods for non-emergency situations.
Last year, the city rolled out a web portal allowing residents to report non-emergency issues—such as noise complaints and abandoned vehicles—without tying up 911 lines.
Currently, the portal generates approximately 250 to 275 reports weekly, all of which are processed just like standard emergency calls.
In addition, there is a Text 911 feature, although Henley pointed out its underuse, with fewer than 1,000 sessions each month, compared to the more popular web portal.
An effort is underway to raise public awareness of both reporting options.
“It helps soften the load for incoming calls into 911,” said Henley regarding the initiatives.
The national trend of improving response times can be attributed in part to agencies implementing new technologies and the reinstatement of staffing lost during the pandemic.
Legislative improvements in Georgia have also played a role in the response time enhancements. Recently, lawmakers passed a significant overhaul to outdated 911 systems, with Governor Brian Kemp signing a bill that encourages call centers statewide to modernize.
This legislative action has the potential to significantly enhance areas struggling with timely 911 response, providing a much-needed boost to emergency services.
The Atlanta E911 center has garnered recognition for these efforts, receiving the 2025 Team of the Year award from The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials.
This accolade will be accepted at the upcoming APCO Conference by a senior dispatcher who was instrumental during critical incidents, including a bus hijacking and a downtown active shooter situation that occurred simultaneously last year.
This report forms part of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s ongoing investigation into the metro area’s 911 systems and their efficacy in responding to those in urgent need.
The original investigation, published last year, showcased a distressing trend of lengthy wait times that led to diminished trust in the emergency response system among residents.
The AJC’s subsequent follow-up reports aimed to highlight improvements made by various agencies as they worked toward meeting the national standard for emergency call response.
By continuing to monitor these developments, the AJC aims to keep the public informed about the pace of progress in ensuring timely, effective emergency services in metro Atlanta.
image source from：https://www.ajc.com/news/2025/06/atlantas-911-system-was-failing-a-year-later-its-picking-up-the-pace/
