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Atlanta 911 Data Shows 84 Percent of Calls Answered Within 20 Seconds
City records track dispatch improvements and new medical instructions rolled out by the E-911 Communications Department.
How we reported this
Atlanta's E-911 Communications Department reported that 84 percent of calls were answered within 20 seconds during 2024, up from 71 percent the prior year.
Officials set a target of 95 percent by the end of 2026 after the system returned to full operation following the Verizon outage. The figures come from internal performance tracking released by the department and cover all incoming emergency lines handled at the city center.
Protocol Changes Add Specific Medical Guidance
The same records note the launch of a new Emergency Medical Dispatch protocol that trains call takers to give immediate instructions such as CPR or the Heimlich maneuver while responders remain en route. This step applies to every qualifying medical call received at the 911 center and operates alongside the existing answer-rate metrics.
Atlanta Fire Rescue opened a new EMS station on Campbellton Road in Southwest Atlanta to cut travel times in that sector. The station addition appears in department updates tied to the same performance period that produced the 84 percent answer rate.
Current Conditions and Reporting Channels
Emergency services continue to manage flash flood warnings for central Fulton County that run until 11:30 PM. Residents facing non-emergency issues such as downed trees or street flooding are directed to ATL311 by dialing 311 or 404-546-0311, while power outage reports go to Georgia Power at 1-888-891-0938.
People unable to reach 911 by phone can use the web portal at atlantaga.gov/request-dispatch or Text-to-911. The city also maintains NotifyATL for real-time alerts, reached by texting 24639 or visiting atlantaga.gov/notifyatl. These options remain available while the E-911 center works toward its 95 percent target.