If you manage a Public Safety Answering Point, then you’re probably very familiar with Next Generation 911, or NG911. These standards, which are gradually being put into place throughout the country, are taking current, telephone-based 911 systems and upgrading them into fully digital networks capable of transmitting video, photos, and SMS in addition to audio.
Transitioning to a new network is never easy, especially when that transition must be seamless—in other words, 911 services can’t be down for any period of time while the switch from current, Enhanced 911 services to NG911 is being made. For this and other reasons, transitioning to NG911 is a daunting prospect for many PSAPs.
However, the many major benefits of NG911 systems make them well worth the trouble. Here are just a few of the reasons PSAPs should begin implementing NG911 capabilities sooner, rather than later.
Those who work in public safety know that despite cell phone location data, 911 dispatchers can’t always pinpoint a caller’s location. This is especially true for rural areas, which have their own set of challenges for 911 services.
For obvious reasons, this can present major problems. While many callers will be able to tell dispatchers exactly where they are, callers who are injured, disoriented, or traveling in a city or town they don’t know may not be able to give their location accurately. This can delay care, and in some cases, even make the difference between life and death.
With NG911, 911 dispatchers can transmit maps to first responders rather than giving them the location verbally. This can greatly enhance police or EMS’s ability to respond quickly and efficiently. In addition, callers to NG911 systems can transmit photos and videos, giving even more information about their situation to dispatchers.
The text-to-911 abilities that many PSAPs already offer have made access to 911 services easier for countless citizens with special needs. Before text-to-911, those who were deaf, hard-of-hearing, or speech-impaired had to use additional devices to communicate with 911. Now, they can reach the service on their phone, just like everyone else.
Text-to-911 is also highly beneficial for people in a number of emergency situations—victims of domestic violence, for example, or home invasions are able to communicate silently, which can be vital to avoiding further harm.
Another way NG911 can help is by making it quicker and easier to route calls to different PSAPs, should any one system become overloaded—as can happen during power outages or natural disasters. This reduces callers’ wait time, which in turn reduces call abandonment.
Consider this example: Vermont implemented statewide NG911 standards before it was struck by Hurricane Irene in 2011. When the hurricane hit, one of the state’s largest PSAPs had to be evacuated, which could have been disastrous for communities needing help.
But because NG911 systems were in place, 911 calls were able to be routed to other PSAPs throughout the state, and communications were not interrupted.
What NG911 benefits really boil down to is increased efficiency for PSAPs and the first responder agencies that work with them. Every photo, video, or text that provides a more complete picture of a caller’s situation not only makes response time faster, but also more appropriate.
The same is true of location accuracy and the ability to reroute calls to other PSAPs. When each call requires fewer resources—in this case, time spent trying to figure out a caller’s location or needs—dispatchers are able to handle calls more quickly, which can decrease the probability of a system becoming overloaded.
As for cost savings, while transitioning to NG911 generates a lot of costs up-front, the potential savings down the line are substantial. As noted in a 911.gov report, after switching to a statewide NG911 system, Vermont saved money by rerouting calls from a rural PSAP that fielded only 1 percent of the state’s 911 calls. Because it’s easy to share and transmit information between NG911 PSAPs, agencies and jurisdictions have the ability to make decisions about combining resources, if that’s something that makes sense.
At KOVA, we’re committed to staying on top of developments in technology. If you’d like to learn more about NG911 standards, visit our White Papers section to read about how NG911 is affecting dispatcher training. And if your PSAP is already making the transition to NG911, take a look at our public safety software solutions.
Sources:
http://www.911.gov/ng911_law/download/ng911_resize_mar2013_final_lr.pdf
http://www.911.gov/pdf/NG911-StandardsIdentificationAnalysis-jan2014.pdf
https://transition.fcc.gov/statelocal/NG911-presentation-4-22-2014.pdf
