DOUGLAS COUNTY, GA — Two neighboring counties in metro Atlanta are joining forces to make sure residents continue receiving life-saving alerts, even if disaster strikes their local systems.
Douglas and Paulding counties have formed a new partnership that allows each to step in as a backup if power issues or severe damage take down one county’s emergency alert system.
Douglas County Emergency Management Director James Queen says the agreement ensures communication won’t stop when timing is critical. He says it benefits both areas equally.
“Even if one county can’t access its system, the other can immediately send alerts to keep people informed,” Queen said.
Before this partnership, Queen says the only fallback was relying on the state emergency management agency, a step that could cause delays when every second counts.
“This gives us another layer of communication so residents aren’t waiting on alerts during a crisis,” he said.
The plan covers a range of emergencies from flash flooding to hazmat incidents. If a power substation were hit by lightning or damaged by a tornado, Queen says alerts would still be delivered quickly to phones across the affected area.
Emergency officials say this partnership adds a fail-safe option for both counties, strengthening safety and preparedness for all residents.
WSB Radio’s Jonathan O’Brien contributed to this story.