The Santa Barbara County Emergency Operations Center and Regional Fire Center facility in Santa Barbara was officially brought into service Tuesday, with a ribbon cutting marking a new era in emergency response.

The center dispatches emergency calls for all seven local fire agencies and American Medical Response; fulfilling a long-term goal to centralize fire and EMS dispatch, streamline response times, and improve coordination during emergencies.

Originally approved by the Board of Supervisors in July 2021 and breaking ground in April 2023, the $17.9 million expansion project was led by county general services with support from county fire and the Office of Emergency Management.

Santa Barbara County Fire Chief Garret Huff noted that work towards a regional fire communications center be

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