January 24, 2020

WALTON COUNTY, Fla— A countywide 9-1-1 upgrade has been completed by the Walton County Sheriff’s Office to provide faster and more accurate responses for emergency calls.

As Walton County has grown, so too, has the need for emergency services.

In partnership with ConvergeOne and Motorola, Walton County Sheriff’s Office is committed to providing an even more expeditious and precise response for those who choose to work and play in our communities when they call for help.

Completed Thursday, the integration of this new system ties together all county agencies into the Next-Gen of 9-1-1 including Vesta mapping, analytics, and more which takes into account the rise of smartwatches, smart cars, internet phones, and other new technology.

The system will provide enhanced mapping that will assist first responders in locating an emergency incident quickly. It will also improve the efficiency of how calls into the communications center are processed and provides 9-1-1 call takers enhanced locations from cell phone calls.

This increased accuracy will make it easier to locate a caller who is unable to confirm their address or where they are.

“While 9-1-1 is just barely 50-years-old, the technological landscape of today would be unrecognizable to someone in 1968 when the first call was placed,” said Sheriff Michael Adkinson. “This new system provides an increased level of service to our residents and visitors that further exemplifies our Commitment to Excellence.”

The new upgrade, which comes at no cost to Walton County taxpayers, is now live at all three 9-1-1 answering points in the county which include the Sheriff’s Office, DeFuniak Springs Police Department, and South Walton Fire District – all with equal capabilities.