Reimagining the 911 Emergency System

Reimagining the 911 Emergency System

911

 

Illustration by scarysideofearth via Flickr.

Americans make at least 240 million 911 calls each year. Many of these calls result in timely professional responses to medical emergencies, fires, and serious crimes in progress.

This everyday excellence—24 hours a day, 365 days a year—is a remarkable, often life-saving accomplishment. Indeed, 911 professionals are true first responders. At the same time, America’s 911 system exhibits many opportunities for improvement.

Research shows that most 911 calls are not related to a crime in progress, yet often still elicit a police response. This results in police spending much of their time responding to low-level or non-criminal incidents that do not amount to public safety or health emergencies…

State Patrol to close Wenatchee communications center, shifting trooper dispatch elsewhere (WA)

State Patrol to close Wenatchee communications center, shifting trooper dispatch elsewhere (WA)

OLYMPIA — The Wenatchee communications center that dispatches Washington State troopers in the Valley and beyond will close, effective June 30.

The Washington State Patrol says it only has half the number of staff in Wenatchee that it needs to take calls and send troopers to incidents on the highways of State Patrol District 6, which includes Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. All those troopers will now be dispatched by operators in Yakima, Marysville and Spokane…

Record calls for Reno dispatch center; how to help when you need help (NV)

Record calls for Reno dispatch center; how to help when you need help (NV)

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) – Calls to the Reno Public Safety Dispatch Center hit a record in 2021.

With more than 500,000 calls across the Reno area and nearly 550,000 officer/firefighter-initiated calls, the Reno Dispatch team plays a critical role in keeping the community safe.

The dispatch center is the largest full-service, multi-jurisdiction, multi-discipline primary public safety answering point (PSAP) in Northern Nevada. Officials gave the community a behind-the-scenes look inside the dispatch offices…

Public Safety Advocate: FirstNet Ten-Year Anniversary—FCC Chair’s Speech, Awards, and Unified Push-To-Talk

I hear that a good time was had by all who celebrated the ten-year anniversary of the creation of FirstNet. I, on the other hand, unexpectedly spent my Tuesday in a Mayo Hospital operating room while they put final touches on a minor surgery. Still, I was able to watch some of the live stream and from what I saw, it appeared to be a professional and well-organized event.

The Celebration

Congratulations are in order for the FirstNet Authority, the management team at the Public Safety Broadband Technology Association (PSBTA), and members of the Public Safety Spectrum Alliance (PSSA)…

Misuse of 911: A common occurrence for emergency dispatch centers (GA)

Misuse of 911: A common occurrence for emergency dispatch centers (GA)

Cover picture for the article

Dialing 911 is a seemingly simple way to ensure you’ll receive help in any emergency, but call centers are seeing a rising trend of residents calling with no emergency present.

FOX 31 News obtained audio for of a number of 911 calls made in Dougherty County; one of those:

Dispatch: Albany 911 what’s your emergency? Caller: Um, there’s a bunch of kids riding scooters and stuff up and down our road and it’s a little late for that.

According to NENA the 911 Association 240 million calls are made to 911 each year across the nation. The vast majority of the calls, deemed non-emergencies by officials… READ MORE

 

Telecom Alert: Proposed NG911 Funding Plan; Pole Attachment Rulemaking; Georgia PSC Bill; Cybersecurity Advisory; ECF Funding [Vol. XIX, Issue 9]

Rosenworcel Proposes NG911 Funding Plan

Last week, Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel gave a speech in which she proposed funding a portion of the transition to Next Generation 911 (“NG911”) services through proceeds from future spectrum auctions.  Chairwoman Rosenworcel suggested that the FCC should consider utilizing these funds in a similar manner to how the Commission funded FirstNet, which was established from revenue raised in the 700 MHz band auction in 2012.  Congress must extend the FCC’s authority to auction spectrum by September 30, 2022… READ MORE