Quicker, better.

That’s how Baltimore County officials are describing the county’s 911 center after it receives a $14 million upgrade, thanks in part to federal funding.

U.S. Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger and Sen. Barbara Mikulski announced $1.5 million of that funding for the project Wednesday.

“There’s more than that coming,” Ruppersberger said of the money, adding that the federal legislators plan to fund new technologies for the center as they become available. “We’ll be on top of it.”

The center, currently in the basement of the County Circuit Courthouse, handles more than 900,000 calls for help each year. The existing center is 20 years old and is being renovated with new equipment that will enhance emergency communications across the region, officials said.

The funding will buy new, digital equipment such as upgraded phones, computers and radios.

“Digital is great, but digital is expensive,” Mikulski said. She said she would use “black belt” legislative skills to ensure the funding arrives in Baltimore County as planned, and described Ruppersberger as an “able linebacker” in the U.S. House of Representatives.

“The people who call out of desperation need the help as quickly as they can get it,” she said.

The $1.5 million announced this week is in addition to $1.5 million in federal money obtained last year. The rest for the project — $11 million — is county money.

Ruppersberger and Mikulski said they worked together to secure the $1.5 million in funding. Baltimore County Executive Jim Smith thanked the lawmakers and said the 911 center “was essential” during Hurricane Isabel in 2003.

“A 911 emergency center is no longer a switchboard, but a state-of-the-art facility,” Smith said.

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