Jefferson County, Indiana, 911 and EMA offices move into new facility

MADISON, Ind. (WDRB) -- Two critical public safety services now have a new home in Madison, Indiana.

Jefferson County's 911 and Emergency Management Agency (EMA) offices have moved into a newly-renovated facility on Green Road. County leaders say the state-of-the-art public safety center was desperately needed.

"We didn't have a facility to operate out of," County Council President Pam Crozier said. "For many years our emergency management office was sitting in different areas that didn't really have a home."

Those different areas included a health department building and a firehouse before that. 911 dispatchers had been working in a small room in the county's old jail building for years.

"It was just a very small space for a lot of equipment and people," 911 Director Susie Lawrence said.

Lawrence says 911 dispatchers need to make the most out of every moment and the new building gives them to space they need to do life-saving work.

"Every second counts..." Lawrence said. "I've dispatched for 22 years and it's a long time coming."

The new building meant more space for another dispatch console and the opportunity to bring in more staff.

"With the extra people that we have the response time of them answering the phones has been cut down, the dispatch out has been cut down," Lawrence said.

Lawrence said that's making an impact for dispatchers and the public.

"They're not rushed, they can take their time with people, and they can help them more," she said.

On the EMA side, a new high-tech emergency operations center has all the equipment the county needs to respond to natural disasters and any other emergency situations that may arise.

"The residents of this county would be very proud of this facility," Crozier said.

Purchasing and renovating the building came at a price of about $500,000. Some of the cost was covered by grants and government reimbursement programs. County leaders say the facility is a valuable resource, at times when it matters most.

"It's worth every penny," Lawrence said. "We've always said you can't put a price on a human life."