The Emergency Communications Department provides a central location for all members of the public and emergency services to report emergencies and receive emergency assistance. Emergency 911 Communications receives over 14,000 calls per month on average. Over 11,000 calls are dispatched every month. Over half the calls are from cell phones. The communications center, dispatches assistance to from the following agencies:

• 23 fire departments & 27 fire stations
• 15 EMS stations
• 10 municipal police departments 
• Johnston County Animal Services

911 Communications, also handles requests for Emergency Management, the Fire Marshal, Red Cross, and medical helicopters from Duke, UNC, Valley Air and Vidant. Our personnel also assists the sheriff's department during periods of heavy radio or phone traffic. The 911 Communications Center is fully operational 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Ten console positions are staffed with 911 personnel, with 3 additional consoles staffed by Sheriff Department employees. 

Staff personnel are required to be trained and certified through the Division of Criminal Information and the State Bureau of Investigation. These certifications allow access to the DCI files for information regarding histories, stolen guns, articles, boats, and motor vehicles. Additionaly, 911 Staff has certifications through Priority Dispatch. These certifications include Emergency Medical Dispatch, Emergency Fire Dispatch and Emergency Police Dispatch. 

Radio communications with all agencies are handled through VHF and 800 MHz frequencies. Our 800 MHz system supports the Sheriff's department and all county municipal police departments. The utilities department, child protective services, JCPS buses and the JCATS transportation system are also served from this network. Expansion capabilities are built in and can accommodate other uses such as county agencies, and fire and rescue, organizations as the need.