Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone (D-West Babylon) announced today the launch of new technological enhancements to the Suffolk 311 system, introducing the launch of a state-of-the-art 311 website and a new mobile application available to residents. The updated 311 system provides residents with new options to connect with county personnel and services while adopting a modern technology solutions platform.
“Suffolk County understands the importance of incorporating modern technology to better serve our residents and to create accountability between the government and the public,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “This new system not only provides our constituents with alternative means of contacting 311 but is an opportunity for us to remain laser-focused on emergency calls while offloading nonemergency calls to 311, ensuring that we provide the best services to our residents.”
With the launch of the platforms, Suffolk County is the first suburban county in New York State to adopt an online and mobile version of the 311 system. The 311 system is designed to centralize calls for county services and complaints, set to streamline the work of constituent services, and allowing for faster emergency response and an enhanced experience.
Residents can now contact 311 through https://suffolkcountyny.gov/311 or by downloading Suffolk 311 for iOS or Android.
Suffolk County’s 311 call center was launched in 2019. Since its inception, the system has taken in more than 450,000 requests. Aside from day-to-day requests, the 311-call center had become a critical government service during the COVID-19 pandemic, aiding in the facilitation of scheduling COVID-19 vaccine appointments, providing COVID-19 testing site location information, arranging food service deliveries to people experiencing food insecurity, and becoming a central source of information to businesses and schools regarding pandemic guidelines.
The new technology began with cloud-based systems, which allowed the call center to be fully operational during the cyberattack in 2021, underscoring Suffolk County’s commitment to upgrading and improving technologies for better cyber protection for its workers and constituents.
The 311 system has addressed several key objectives:
- Relieving 911 Burden: Suffolk County’s 911 emergency service fields approximately 900,000 calls annually, including tens of thousands of nonemergency calls. The 311 system will alleviate the burden on 911 by handling nonemergency calls more efficiently.
- Real-Time Issue Tracking: The system allows the county to track citizen complaints and concerns in real-time, enabling swift responses to problems such as potholes and other public issues.
- Enhancing Constituent Satisfaction: By providing residents with a direct channel to reach county services, the 311 system aims to improve constituent satisfaction and streamline access to government resources.
Individuals are reminded they can still call Suffolk 311 if they have any questions. Within Suffolk County dial 311, outside of Suffolk County call 631-853-6311. For more information on Suffolk County’s commitment to innovation and constituent services, visit suffolkcountyny.gov.
