The Tarrant 911 District is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025. Over the past four decades, the agency has evolved significantly, adapting to technological advancements and emerging communication methods to ensure swift and efficient emergency response.

“Imagine all the technology and expertise it takes to get a 911 call from the time you hit that last one until the time someone picks up the phone and says, ‘911 where's your emergency,’” Executive Director Sherry Decker said. “Thats what we do.”

The Tarrant 911 District was created through state legislation to enhance emergency response capabilities. Its primary role is to manage the complex technology and systems behind 911 calls in Tarrant County, ensuring they are correctly routed to the appropriate dispatch centers based on the caller's GPS location.

“If every citizen who calls 911 today, for whatever type emergency, was answered by a licensed Telecommunicator, we have done our job,” Decker said. “We have redundancies in place to prevent points of failure that could affect emergency calls. Our goal is to make sure that using one number, a citizen can get emergency assistance quickly.”

The Tarrant 911 District has implemented technologies like text-to-911 and is actively working on implementing next-generation 911 systems.

“We want our deaf and non-verbal communities to know they are as important as our hearing community, so we have Text to 911,” Decker said.

This feature is also beneficial in emergency situations where it’s unsafe to speak, such as in an active-shooter or domestic violence situation.

The organization is currently working to implement Next Generation 911, an initiative to update technology across 911 Districts nationwide.

“Our mission is to provide a system that no matter the circumstances, citizens are able to reach 911 during an emergency” Decker said. “Today we are removing the old infrastructure and replacing it with a modernized system flexible enough to carry the District into the future.”

This new system will assist responders to more accurately locate a caller, ensure calls are routed to the right center and enable call transfers and data sharing across jurisdiction and county lines.

This technology sets the stage for future forms of communications some of which do not exist today.

As the agency continues to evolve, its mission remains steadfast: to provide prompt and efficient 911 access to the residents of Tarrant County. By embracing technology and prioritizing the well-being of its telecommunicators, Tarrant County 911 is poised to meet the challenges of the future and ensure the safety of the community.

To learn more about the Tarrant 911 District and any upcoming projects, visit the organization’s website.

The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Mary Katherine Shapiro with Community Impact's Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.