National firm reviewing DeKalb County’s plan to enhance EMS/911 services, Brookhaven touted as model

DEKALB COUNTY, GA—DeKalb County is in the process of making major upgrades to improve EMS services—specifically the response time throughout DeKalb County. The county plans to add more EMT/paramedics, more   nurses and additional ambulances.

Fitch & Associates, a nationally-known leader in EMS and Ambulance system consulting, is completing a review of DeKalb County’s EMS system as the county moves forward, county officials said on Thursday, April 25.

In February, DeKalb County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved $3.8 million in the 2024 budget to add 15 EMT/paramedics, five nurse practitioners, and five ambulances to enhance countywide service delivery.  

County officials expect to significantly improve EMS response times with the upgrades and point to the city of Dunwoody as a model.

Dunwoody Mayor Lynn Deutsch and the Dunwoody City Council voted to be the first city in DeKalb to take advantage of an opportunity provided in DeKalb County’s 2019 contract with AMR to secure supplemental ambulance service in its corporate limits

Dunwoody’s decision to partner with DeKalb County and AMR to subsidize ambulance service has significantly impro

EMS response times before and after the Dunwoody model was implemented were:

Before: Sept.16, 2023 – Dec.14, 2023–14:10 minute average response time

After: Dec. 15, 2023 – April 12, 2024–9:35 average response time

Dunwoody pays $566,000 annually to contract ambulance service for the city for 12 hours a day during peak service hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

The county’s plan also includes installing a $5 million, state-of-the-art E-911 phone system. DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond has appointed Carina Swain as the county’s new E-911 Director.  Swain will oversee the installation of the  state-of-the-art  phone system.

Swain, a public safety professional with more than 16 years of experience, was hired by DeKalb County in December 2023, following her employment as an E-911 shift manager for the Atlanta Police Department and prior to that, she was employed at Fulton County Emergency Services