It’s been more than 50 years since the first 911 emergency call was made in the United States. Since that time, 911 has contributed to dramatic improvements in public safety, but the role of 911 has remained largely unchanged. Now, the rapid evolution of technology — particularly in communications and safety-related applications — is disrupting their operation.
Traditionally, emergency response centers, or public safety answering points (PSAPs), have been slow to keep up with technological improvements and changes in public expectations. For example, most response center systems don’t support smartphone technology, aren’t able to track mobile location, and can’t receive photos or videos from the field. Texting functions are all too frequently non-existent.
