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County briefed on public‑safety strategic review; consultants recommend staffing, technology and facilities investments
Summary
Consultants presented a countywide public‑safety assessment covering 911 dispatch, EMS, the sheriff's office, fire marshal and volunteer fire departments. Key recommendations include reducing 911 call processing time, targeted EMS base relocations, incremental sheriff staffing, and strategies to support volunteer fire departments including possible overlay districts or base minimums.
Burke County commissioners heard a multi‑agency public‑safety assessment aimed at improving response times, staffing and interagency coordination across 911, EMS, the sheriff's office, the fire marshal and volunteer fire departments.
Consultants said the county has invested in public safety in recent budgets (a roughly 7% increase over three years) and urged that further work focus on four themes: people (recruitment and retention), technology and process improvements, targeted capital investments (EMS bases, dispatch consoles, facility upgrades), and strengthened regional agreements.
On 911, assessors recommended measures to shorten call‑processing time through fuller use of existing CAD capabilities, upgrading dispatch consoles (state grant funding may be available), establishing a backup dispatch center (a community‑college partnership was discussed) and strengthening training and quality‑assurance programs. "If you can save one or two minutes at call processing, you improve service delivery countywide," the consultant said.
For EMS the team recommended better alignment of base locations to population and incident density — particularly adding capacity in eastern Burke County — expanded technical training partnerships, a permanent training coordinator role, and competitive compensation to address recruiting and retention. Chief Scott Bernett said competitive pay was the top workforce priority for EMS staff.
The sheriff’s office review recommended a tiered staffing plan — adding four sworn positions per year for four years as a measured approach — along with a dedicated investigator for internet/child‑exploitation crimes and implementation of a K‑9 unit. Consultants also urged planning for additional courtroom security and deputies as courthouse renovations add courtroom capacity.
On the fire service, consultants noted a national decline in volunteer availability but said Burke County’s net loss (~1.4% per year) is smaller than the statewide average. Still, they flagged weekday coverage shortfalls and large budget variance across fire districts. Recommended responses included centralizing recruitment and retention efforts, exploring overlay service districts or minimum base funding levels, and considering weekday paid personnel or part‑time staffing to supplement volunteers during high‑demand hours.
All consulting teams stressed that retention and recruitment are interconnected with training, equipment and pay. Several presenters urged commissioners to weigh incremental staffing additions, capital upgrades and policy changes as part of the board’s upcoming prioritization and budget decisions.
Ending: Consultants will deliver detailed strategic plans and performance metrics to guide phased investments; commissioners reserved prioritization decisions for the next budgeting steps.
