On a daily basis, addresses are provided for the un-incorporated areas of the entire county in order to maintain a database for the 911 system through the 911 Addressing office. When someone dials 911, one of the five PSAPS (public safety answering points) within our county receives the call with this address data on a screen to facilitate the dispatch of required assistance. With this information available, the dispatcher may still send help to a location even if the caller is unable to speak or the connection is lost. Calls are automatically routed to the jurisdiction in which the calls originate. This saves valuable time for the caller to get help. This division also provides the equipment and maintenance for the agencies to receive these calls. These PSAPS are located in the Hazlehurst Police Department, Crystal Springs Police Department, as well as the Copiah County Sheriff's Department and the Copiah County Emergency Operations Center. The installation of multiple PSAPS eliminates down-time for the emergency dispatch network.

We have several other projects currently in various stages of completion:

• Creation of a fully functional Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

• Insuring that all schools in Copiah County have a severe weather radio

• Purchased a custom trailer for the Mobile Command Post for long term, on-site recovery operations.

• Sixteen safe rooms for community volunteer fire departments, municipal fire departments, police departments, and Hardy Wilson Hospital

The operations center receives all 911 calls for the City of Hazlehurst, Crystal Springs, Wesson and the unincorporated areas of Copiah County. It is equipped with computer weather monitoring and warning systems that are designed to provide Copiah County Citizens with prompt and accurate warning notifications. The Copiah County 911 Communications was established in 1989 and moved to its current location in 2004. Currently we have 10 dispatchers who work a variety of shifts 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including holidays.

Copiah County is served by an Enhanced 9-1-1 system. The name, address and phone number of the telephone used to dial 9-1-1 is displayed on a computer screen at the 9-1-1 center if you have a traditional wired telephone.

Cell phones display your location subject to exceptions. Cell phones are not as precise as a traditional telephone and you should be prepared to give a location if you call from a cell phone.

VoIP phone service varies depending on the service provider.

Combining location information with questions asked of the caller, the dispatcher determines which emergency agency, or agencies, should respond to the scene. The department(s) are then notified to respond. Over 95% of calls are dispatched within 30 seconds of being answered. In 2009, the Copiah County 911 dispatchers answered 27,420 PSAP calls.

All of Copiah County is covered by 9-1-1 service, it does not matter if you live in a city or unincorporated area, 9-1-1 will provide access to your local emergency agencies.

Call 9-1-1 to report any emergency. Police, Fire or Medical. If you need help immediately,
call 9-1-1. Don't waste time, call 9-1-1 as soon as you think help is needed!