On March 8, Governor Sonny Perdue proclaimed 9-1-1 Day in Georgia, honoring 9-1-1 professionals and 15 young 9-1-1 heroes from around the state at a ceremony at the State Capitol. The annual ceremony recognizes the dedication and commitment of approximately 2,500 professionals who operate local and regional 9-1-1 centers throughout Georgia.

"The 9-1-1 system is an essential service that we should never take for granted," Perdue said. "Countless lives are saved each year by citizens dialing 9-1-1 during emergencies. It is a privilege to say 'thank you' for a job well done."

The program also recognizes children from across the state that successfully used 9-1-1 during the past year in an emergency.

"These boys and girls showed a tremendous amount of composure and maturity in the midst of a crisis, and they deserve our praise," said Perdue. “I hope today’s event encourages parents to sit down with their children and talk about what to do in emergency situations.”

This year's 9-1-1 heroes are: 13-year old Alexus Amis of Henry County; 7-year old Rachel Anderson, 12-year old Gus Galloway and 12-year old Nick Parrish of Banks County; 6-year old Edgar Devane of Schley County; 12-year old Ashley Dixon and 9-year old Ipo Roig of Clayton County; 11-year old Allen Hetzel and 11-year old Tabitha Kelly of Forsyth County; 10-year old Tahjana Hill of Fulton County; 11-year old Zachery and 5-year old Tanner Moore of Rockdale County; 3-year old Cody Roy Myrick of Jasper County; 5-year old Jay'len Quarles of Douglas County; and 9-year old Matthew Sparr of Fayette County.

"9-1-1 is the lifeline of emergency response," said Georgia Emergency Management Agency Director Charley English. "We are honoring the 9-1-1 professionals who work so hard to operate the system and who have earned our gratitude. We also recognize these fine young people who activiated the system to save lives."

Access to 9-1-1 in Georgia has been greatly improved in recent years. In early 2004, only 121 counties had enhanced 9-1-1 services that allowed dispatchers and calltakers to identify the location of a call. Today, 154 counties have, or are implementing, enhanced 9-1-1 service.

Local resident Matthew Sparr was just nine years old when he called on the Fayette County 9-1-1 system. Sparr was watching cartoons on January 3, 2006, when his mother suffered a medical emergency. Realizing his mom was in distress, Sparr called 9-1-1. Then he second-guessed his instincts and hung up before the operator could begin questioning him. Surely, his mother would wake up on her own at any moment, he thought. Dispatcher Chris Nations immediately called Sparr back and asked what was wrong. This time, Sparr described his mother’s symptoms and remained on the line to answer all of Nations’ questions. Sparr’s call sent paramedics to his house within minutes, where they revived his mother with oxygen. The story may not have had a happy ending if Sparr did not dial 9-1-1.

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