DeKalb County sees quicker EMS response times

DECATUR, Ga. - DeKalb County residents are seeing quicker EMS response times, according to county officials. 

What we know:

The county says this improvement is due to a $3.8 million investment from February 2024. The money went toward hiring more emergency medical technicians for DeKalb County Fire Rescue, as well as funding support staff to help stop "preventable 911 use." 

The county says it also extended its agreement with American Medical Response, giving the company a $4.89 million subsidy to increase the number of AMR ambulances serving DeKalb County.

Now, DeKalb County says EMTs are getting to emergencies almost 3 minutes faster than before February 2024. 

What they're saying:

"We are excited about this high-performing system improvement through initiatives, resource investments, and constant leadership support," said DeKalb County Fire Rescue Chief Darnell Fullum. "Together, these strategic efforts are building a more responsive, efficient, and patient-centered EMS system for DeKalb County."

Dig deeper:

DeKalb County offers two programs it says can help keep EMTs available for emergency calls.

One is called the Healthcare Education and Linked Services (HEALS) team, which works with people to get them longer-term care options, rather than using EMTs. 

There is also the Nurse Navigator program, which helps 911 callers decide if they need an ambulance or if they can seek another level of care.