E911 Communications

The Hilton Head Island E911 Communication Center serves as the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island and is the backup center for the Beaufort County E911 Dispatch Center.

• The Center answers all 911 calls originating on Hilton Head Island and Daufuskie Island, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
• The E911 Center receives an average of 149 phone calls a day and dispatches more than 20 Fire and EMS calls daily.

The 911 Communications personnel are the unseen, but extremely important link, in the chain of response to an emergency. When a Dispatcher answers a call in the Communications Center, they become the first, first responder. In addition to trying to determine what type of help is needed, personnel frequently help callers identify their exact location so assistance can be sent to the correct location. This can be a challenge given the number of annual visitors to Hilton Head Island.

Dispatch Quality Assurance/ Quality Improvement Program

The Communications Center has a comprehensive Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement program for reviewing both fire and medical calls.

• Approximately 20 percent of all 911 emergency calls are randomly selected and reviewed.
• The process is used to ensure calls are handled efficiently and to help identify any additional training that may be beneficial to ensure prompt and professional service.
• The average compliance score for the center is 98 percent.