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911 chief warns of tight finances, asks for staff and local support as state surcharge move advances
Summary
Blount County emergency communications reported heavy 911 demand and infrastructure upgrades, requested one additional dispatcher and an administrative/training position, and said a pending state bill to raise the 911 surcharge could help; the chief warned of a likely year‑end shortfall without added funds.
The county’s emergency communications director (introduced to the committee as “Jimmy”) told the budget committee that dispatch handled about 192,525 phone calls in 2025, processed tens of thousands of NCIC transactions and served law‑enforcement, fire and EMS agencies across the county. He described recent investments — upgraded recording systems, replacement of climate controls and UPS infrastructure, new radio consoles and an AI‑assisted quality‑assurance process —…
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