SPRINGDALE, Ohio — Hamilton County officials are about to open a brand-new Emergency Management Agency (EMA) building that will also serve as Hamilton County's 911 dispatch center.
The $16 million facility, located in Springdale, is expected to be fully operational by the end of the month.
Even before its official opening, officials have already begun using the building to send out emergency alerts, including recent notifications about a snow emergency.
Hamilton County EMA Director Nick Crossley gave me a tour this week. He said bringing multiple emergency operations under one roof will significantly improve real-time coordination and information sharing.
Watch below to get a look inside the new facility:
During major incidents, the building will function as a full emergency operations center. It's designed to support responses to a wide range of situations, including tornadoes, flooding, power outages, active shooter incidents, hazardous materials spills, terrorism and other large-scale emergencies.
The county’s 911 dispatch center is located on the second floor and will feature Next Generation 911 technology. That system allows residents to text or send video to 911 — a major upgrade aimed at improving communication during emergencies.
Crossley said the new center will also provide an added layer of reliability for residents who need to call for help.
“Hamilton County will really benefit once this center is open, once they’ve made the full transition,” Crossley said.
The existing dispatch center in Colerain Township is also going to remain open.
“Their former 911 center will become a training center — what we call a hot backup," Crossley said. "Which means 911 calls can be taken from either location at any time seamlessly, and it provides Hamilton County residents a full-time, dedicated backup 911 center.”
Security and self-sufficiency were key priorities in the new building’s design.
The facility includes two backup generators and supplies such as food, water and cots, allowing staff to remain on-site for extended periods during major disasters.
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