AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – Georgia voters approved Amendment 3, which allows the state to create a dedicated fund for Next Generation 911, an upgrade to the capabilities of 911 call centers. 911 Director Daniel Dunlap said the amendment “allows the Georgia, the governing authority, if you will, to create and establish a separate fund strictly for next generation 911 that allows us to operate and maintain and support the next generation services.” Dunlap said dispatchers may have to guess a caller’s location based on nearby cell towers. With Next Generation 911, dispatchers can pinpoint a caller’s exact location, similar to how Uber or DoorDash works. Callers also could send photos and videos or live stream directly with dispatchers, such as to identify a suspect or send pictures of a crash. Next Generation 911 is intended to give pinpoint GPS accuracy and allow dispatchers to see what a caller sees. Dunlap said getting a location faster would allow dispatchers to send resources sooner, without an additional line of questioning to find out where a caller is. “To be able to receive those pictures and videos, we receive text to 911 now,” he said. “But to have those other resources that can come in that we’re able to provide to the responders that are still on the way to the scene, it can help potentially catch suspects faster, give the fire department a better picture of what exactly is on fire, what side of the building is on fire, where someone might be trapped that needs…
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