Local government sits at the operational center of emergency and crisis response systems. Counties in 48 states and the District of Columbia operate, fund and manage thousands of the nation’s public safety answering points (PSAPs), or 911 call centers. PSAPs handle more than 240 million 911 calls annually, including an estimated 24 million behavioral health-related calls.
People calling 911 during an emergency in parts of San Diego County can expect to wait.
State-Funded Programs Support Emergency Communication Systems Across the State by Strengthening Emergency Response Capabilities
Funding to Support New Projects, Equipment Installation and Enhanced Communications Channels at Local Levels
An Operations Committee made up of public safety professionals and end users will offer recommendations. These suggestions guide day-to-day emergency communications, and the Joint Governance Board provides policy oversight with accountability measures.
The companies hired to replace California’s “vulnerable” 911 network with a new cutting-edge system claim the state abruptly abandoned a fully built, deployment-ready system and replaced it with a new plan they say could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions more.
The state, which has already spent nearly $500 million building a regional Next Generation 911 (NGA 911) network, decided to pull the plug and leave the majority of its emergency call centers on a decades-old analog system while it pursues a new statewide design.
Eleven years in 911 communications taught one dispatcher that purpose isn’t defined by a headset. In a heartfelt letter, Samantha Hawkins reflects on fear, resilience and finding a new way to serve public safety.
