MONROE COUNTY, Ga. — When you need help, the fastest way to get it is usually by calling 911.
In the U.S., 240 million calls are made to 911 each year, according to the National Emergency Number Association.
Now, Monroe County Sheriff's Office said dispatchers will be able to find you faster than before thanks to a new update to their system.
"The older technology, it would give you an approximate location of where the 911 caller was located, but this gives you more of a pinpoint location where the callers calling from," Sheriff Brad Freeman said.
As soon as dispatchers connect to your call, a pin drops on a map to locate exactly where you are and where you move.
Monroe County Commissioners approved spending nearly $80,000 on the Vesta 911 update. Freeman said having the best tech is essential for public safety.
"When you're dealing with public safety, you do want the latest, greatest because you know out there playing with his field and turns over on his tractor and he hits 911. He doesn't want to guess we're coming. He wants to know we're coming," Freeman said.
The 911 Deputy Director Junika Owens said this update has helped reduce the response time for emergency services. This group in the sheriff's office dispatches deputies, Forsyth Police, Monroe County Fire and EMA.
Owens said the average response time is now under two minutes. For Freeman, it's all about efficiency.
"You know you don't want to sit there and I called 911 and you didn't come, the call got dropped," Freeman said.
If you find yourself in a position where you cannot dial 911, you can now text it to get help. The service has been around for years, but Freeman says the update made some changes.
"This is just going to be a more streamlined and integrated system to where you're just going to be get the information quicker and I believe the ability to text back," Freeman said.
You'll be able to have a conversation with a dispatcher through Texty. Owens still advises people to be aware of their surroundings and help out dispatchers by describing their location.
Owens and Freeman said the new system is great, but it won't always be perfect.
"Now there's always going to be technological glitches in whatever you have, but hopefully this thing will just make it to where you have very few," Freeman said.