LEAKESVILLE, Miss.—Greene County is moving forward with a new emergency services annex that officials said will protect 911 dispatch during severe weather after the county finalized contracts for the project. 

Officials said construction will begin once a notice to proceed is issued and should take about 200 to 220 days.

The hardened facility will house the county’s 911 dispatch center and is designed to remain operational during hurricanes, tornadoes and other emergencies. 

“(Our current office) worked for us for 26 years … but it’s not ideal,” said Greene County Emergency Management Director Trent Robertson. “It’s very cramped in there. You need a clean facility for sensitive equipment, and we don’t have that, so this is definitely going to be an upgrade for us and for the taxpayers of Greene County.” 

Why the Annex Is Needed 

For nearly three decades, Greene County’s 911 operation has worked out of the Sheriff’s Department, which county officials said is too small, outdated and not built to withstand severe weather. 

Robertson said that leaves the system vulnerable when storms hit. 

“911 is the last place you want to go down if something bad happened,” he said. 

He pointed to a 2011 tornado that knocked out power in Leakesville and forced crews to scramble to keep the site running. 

“We were having to scramble to try to get some backup power for that site,” he said. 

The annex will be built next to Greene County’s existing Emergency Management building. It will include dedicated dispatch workstations, updated equipment, backup generators and infrastructure designed to withstand winds up to 250 mph. 

A blue Greene County Emergency Management logo is mounted on a gray wall.
The new facility will include technological upgrades aimed at improving emergency response, including new workstations, updated equipment, backup generators and upgraded systems. Photo by RHCJC News

Robertson said the new system will also add next-generation 911 technology, better mapping and tools the county does not have now. 

“This even has the capability to translate if someone calls in and speaks Spanish; this equipment could translate that conversation for them,” he said. 

Right now, dispatchers have to call someone on standby to translate and hope that person is available. 

Robertson said the system may also allow callers to send video to dispatchers so first responders can better understand a scene before arriving. 

“You could possibly need to send a snippet of video from an incident scene to get an idea of  what’s going on,” Robertson said. 

“It’s going to be a big, big upgrade,” Robertson said. 

How It Is Being Funded

The annex is being funded through a 75%-25% split between federal and local money.

County officials requested$1 million for the project in early 2023 through Congressman Mike Ezell’s office, saying it was beyond the rural county’s financial means. 

In 2024, Greene County received about $750,000 through an Emergency Operations Center grant from the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security. The county is expected to provide the remaining roughly $250,000. 

A fire truck sits on a road between two buildings as it prepares to respond to a call.
The upgraded dispatch center will help first responders remain available to serve the public, even during severe weather. Photo by RHCJC News

Greene County Board of Supervisors President Wayne Barrow said the board approved the project unanimously. 

“It’s one of the most important parts of county government in making sure our citizens are safe,” Barrow said. 

“This is not an expense, in my opinion. It’s definitely an investment,” Barrow said. 

The project also builds on earlier investments in the county’s emergency systems, including renovation of its Emergency Management Facility. 

What Comes Next

With contracts signed, county officials said they are waiting for a notice to proceed before construction begins. 

If the project stays on schedule, the new dispatch center could be operational within the next year. 

For emergency officials in a rural county, Robertson said the goal is simple: be ready when neighbors call for help. 

“When you have an emergency call in this area, you know everybody. Everybody you know knows everybody. It ain’t like you went into a house and you don’t know who lives there—you know that person. Probably been to a family reunion with them, or you’ve probably seen them at church or gone to a ballgame with them. So it’s a close-knit community—it makes it even that much more important to be ready when people call 911.” 

This article first appeared on RHCJC and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

A native of northeastern Pennsylvania, Justin is a 2022 graduate of Syracuse University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in television, radio and film.

Prior to joining the RHCJC, Justin worked as a digital producer and assignment editor for WBRE/WYOU in northeastern Pennsylvania. During his two years at the station, he covered a wide range of stories, coordinated local and national news coverage, and oversaw the station’s assignment desk. His work included producing content for digital platforms, managing breaking news and organizing coverage for high-profile stories.

Justin is passionate about storytelling and brings a strong background in digital media production and editorial leadership to his role at the center.

Jakira is a University of Southern Mississippi student from Raymond, Mississippi, and is majoring in film studies. She is a reporter for the RHCJC.

McKenna Klamm, a Junior at The University of Southern Mississippi, is majoring in Film and minoring in Marketing. McKenna is from Tonganoxie, Kansas. She is a photographer and videographer at the RHCJC center. McKenna’s passion for storytelling through videography came from experimenting with different video and social media platforms, and she is excited to continue learning through RHCJC.

The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center, housed at The University of Southern Mississippi, is dedicated to enhancing the media landscape in southeast Mississippi by prioritizing impactful, issue-oriented, and people-centered reporting.

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