Marion County in north central Florida encompasses more than 330,000 square miles — an area larger than the state of Rhode island — and is home to more than 332,500 people. The Marion County Public Safety Communications Center, one of two public safety answering points within the county, dispatches emergency 911 services for Marion County Fire Rescue, Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Dunnellon Police Department, Dunnellon Fire Department, and Belleview Police Department. The Center handles approximately 170 emergency 911 calls each day and its annual call volume is increasing at a rate of five percent per year.