Williamson County emergency dispatch hailed after earning medical ACE accreditation, completing state’s first ‘tri‑ACE’ credential

Williamson County’s commissioners on March 3 recognized the county Emergency Communications Center for earning Accredited Center of Excellence (ACE) status for emergency medical dispatch on Feb. 11, 2026, a milestone county officials said completes a three‑part accreditation that they described as the first of its kind in Texas.

"They can call 911 knowing that they're gonna get the best service possible," said Rebecca Christiansen, the center’s QAQI supervisor, describing the protocols and training that underpin the accreditation. Commissioners repeatedly praised the staff’s work, noting the accreditation followed earlier ACE recognitions for police and fire dispatch.

The county’s communications director (identified in the meeting as Kate) told the court the center dispatches for roughly 28 agencies and has expanded services to include enhanced medical and mental‑health call handling. She described the accreditation as the final piece of a multi‑year effort to standardize protocols and training across agencies.

Commissioners and presenters emphasized practical benefits: Kate said the accreditation helps ensure consistent on‑screen prompts for dispatchers, enabling them to provide step‑by‑step CPR, Heimlich and epinephrine instructions. "A man's alive today because of it," she said, recounting a recent dispatcher‑assisted resuscitation.

County leaders asked the public to tour the facility and took a group photo with staff to mark the accomplishment. No formal policy action was taken on the accreditation; the item was presented for recognition and the court moved on to other agenda business.

The court’s discussion and the presentations on the accreditation are recorded beginning with the agenda reading for item 22 and continuing through a commissioner recognition period. The court recessed to executive session later in the meeting and adjourned at 11:01 a.m.