A Message from Chatham Emergency Services (CES) About Chatham County’s New Emergency Call System

After several years of planning and preparation, Chatham County will be launching and utilizing a new emergency call and dispatch software system on October 10, 2023. 

Both Chatham Emergency Services (Fire and EMS) and Chatham 911 will be merging into the new system as well as utilizing standardized caller information gathering software known as Priority Dispatch. Historically, many residents of Skidaway Island have utilized a direct line to CES by calling 912-355-6688 for emergencies. 

As a result of the many new system enhancements, any emergency caller on Skidaway should call 911 for prompt police, fire, and ambulance calls. Residents can still call the 912-355-6688 number and this number is preferred for non-emergency calls or other minor situations. Both numbers will be answered by professional call takers and neither number will result in a faster response. For ease of use and recall, 911 is the primary number for any emergency (police/fire/ambulance) on Skidaway Island.

If you have questions regarding this information, please email CES Chief Operations Officer Phil Koster (pkoster@chathames.org).