Ocean County’s 911 Center Expands [AUDIO]

Ocean County's emergency dispatching operations have relocated to meet a growing population according to county officials.  

The operations will now run from a 16,000 square foot warehouse on Chestnut Street in Toms River.  A ribbon cutting was held Wednesday to mark the occasion with fire, police and first responders in attendance.

The expanded call center took about a year to complete and has the capacity to include 18 state-of-the-art police and fire dispatch stations, and eight call taker stations for a total of 26 stations, 12 more than the previous location. The county has the ability to further expand its 911 operations by 25 percent.

The Sheriff's Department will oversee the operations, with the ongoing support of the Ocean County Freeholder Board.

Acting Sheriff William Sommeling said he's proud the county has the capabilities to meet the needs of dispatchers to save lives. Dispatchers agree too, and said the extra work space makes it easier for them to actually hear incoming calls because they aren't cramped next to each other.

Sommeling said during Superstorm Sandy every resource was called into service and that the communication center was right in the middle of it.

The 911 center dispatches for 40 fire departments, 32 emergency first aid squads and 12 police agencies in the county.