South Carolina County Now Using Photos of 911 Sites

Charleston County, South Carolina has a new tool to help emergency crews better respond to 911 calls.

Dispatchers are using Pictometry, a new system that brings up a picture of the location and neighborhood from where a 911 call originated. Operators previously depended on software maps that resembled a car GPS system.

The new system allows dispatchers to tell police, ambulance drivers and other emergency responders about a building’s size or any other obstacles they may encounter.

The county’s telecommunications director William Tunick says the system allows dispatchers to see a building from any direction or from above to help emergency crews quickly respond to 911 calls for help.