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State lawmakers are exploring how to update Georgia’s 911 system, which experts say isn’t equipped for the world of smartphones. A House study committee that met for the first time this week is part of a broader effort to better prepare the state for major disasters.
Georgia is still using 911 technology built for landlines, the lawmakers explained in Wednesday’s meeting, but most emergency calls now come from cell phones. That can create a host of problems, starting with location: While landlines are tied to a fixed address that 911 dispatchers can send help to, a cell phone could be calling from anywhere.
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