Union County Dedicates New Communications Center

(Photo by Blairsville-Union County Chamber of Commerce)

BLAIRSVILLE, Ga. — Union County officials and community members welcomed a long-awaited new Communications Center on Thursday, a facility designed to equip the county’s first responders with state-of-the-art technology to support their work.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony and dedication, held in partnership with the Blairsville-Union County Chamber of Commerce, took place at 10 a.m. at 455 Shoe Factory Road, adjacent to Fire Station No. 1. An open house with public tours of the dispatch center and 911 mapping offices followed that evening.

The roughly 8,000-square-foot building has been in the works for years. Construction began in May 2025 after the Union County Board of Commissioners awarded a contract to local firm Winkler & Winkler Inc. The project, funded through Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax proceeds, includes modern Next Generation 911 call handling, computer-aided dispatch, public safety radio systems, recording equipment and related infrastructure. Full transition of 911 operations from the current location on Hunt-Martin Street is targeted for early 2027 after remaining equipment installation, testing and dispatcher training.

“This facility has been a long time coming in Union County and gives our incredible team of first responders state of the art technology to aid them in the already incredible work they do,” a community statement said. Officials and supporters expressed gratitude for living in an area where residents and local government have prioritized safety initiatives that protect people who live in and visit the North Georgia mountains.

The new center will serve as the county’s public safety answering point, supporting fire, emergency medical services, law enforcement and other responders with improved efficiency and capacity for future growth.