In fiscal year 2022-2023, which ran from July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 the number of 911 calls received by the Guilford Metro 911 Emergency Communications Center fell from the previous fiscal year despite the county’s growing population and an increasing number of people walking around with cell phones.

In fiscal year 2021-2022, the center received 170,686 calls on the 911 line, while, in fiscal year 2022-2023, that number fell to 168,807.

The statistics are included in a just released audit of Guilford County government, which includes a lot more than just numbers that pertain to the financial health of Guilford County government.

This drop is a reversal of a decade long trend of steady increase – with the exception of the pandemic, when the number of calls dropped because fewer people were out driving around and engaging in drunken Friday night behaviors.

In fiscal year 2013-2014, the number of 911 calls in Guilford County was just under 151,000, which in the following year grew to 153,459 and then increased by several thousand each year until the pandemic hit.

 In fiscal year 2018-2019, the number of 911 calls hit an all-time high: 171,191.  In fiscal year 2019-2020, the first fiscal year affected by the COVID pandemic, the number of 911 calls dropped all the way to below 164,000, before starting to climb back up.

Last year, most of the calls were handled by the Greensboro Police Department, followed by Guilford County EMS.  The Guilford County Sheriff’s Department handled the next largest number of calls, followed by the Greensboro Fire Department and county fire departments, which came in last in that regard.

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