NG911 Compliance: Preparing Your PSAP
Posted in All, NGA911 on Mar 21, 2022
If you oversee a PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) or another 911 telecommunications agency, then you’re likely familiar with NG9-1-1 (Next Generation 911). With the Next Generation 911 initiative in place across the nation, emergency response agencies must follow NG911 compliance regulations to upgrade their current 911 systems to fully digital infrastructures capable of transmitting vital information through multimedia sharing.
Transitioning to a new system is never easy, especially when 911 services can’t be down for any period of time while making the switch to Next Generation 911. For this reason and many others, PSAPs must apply Next Generation 911 capabilities following compliance regulations and prepare telecommunicators for implementation sooner rather than later.
To better understand NG911 compliance, PSAPs need to understand the many benefits that transitioning to NG911 can provide their emergency response agency.
In this blog post, our Next Generation 911 providers at NGA will cover:
- NG911 compliance requirements
- Ways Next Generation 911 can improve PSAP capabilities
- What NG911 is
- Why choose Next Generation 911
Understanding NG911 Compliance Requirements
In 2020, Next Generation 911 networks and solutions became a reality for many emergency response agencies around the globe, including the United States. For new NG911 systems, especially cloud-based technology, major upgrades and hardware refreshments were part of the Next Generation 911 compliance initiative.
In addition to significant software releases, NG911 requirements also include:
- Systems must allow direct access to 911 without access codes.
- Systems must provide on-site notifications that a 911 call has occurred and to what station.
- On-site notification must be delivered to a device on the PSAP premises or another on-site location.
- Any calls to 911 must provide a location that allows for dispatcher access and assistance and must be delivered to the PSAP or ECC (Emergency Call Center).
- Any call to 911 must provide an on-site location to emergency response personnel.
The goal of these NG911 compliance requirements is to provide essential information that will allow public safety professionals to reduce emergency response times and raise situational awareness regarding 911 events.
Ways Next Generation 911 Can Improve PSAP Capabilities
With NG911 implementation, the many significant ways the Next Generation 911 system can improve your PSAP strongly outways the inconvenience that transitioning to a new infrastructure may entail.
Below are a few examples of improvements you can expect with NG911 implementation:
Improved 911 caller location tracking: Those who work in the public safety industry know that dispatchers can’t always pinpoint a 911 caller's exact location. This is especially true when trying to assist citizens in rural areas. With Next Generation 911, dispatchers can send detailed digital maps regarding a 911 caller’s location directly to first responders. Additionally, 911 callers are able to send text, photos, and videos to emergency response telecommunicators.
Improved community access to 911: The real-time text messaging capabilities from NG911 have made access to 911 assistance much easier for citizens who are hard-of-hearing, deaf, or speech-impaired. Next Generation 911 text-to-911 is also highly beneficial for citizens in emergencies such as home invasions, hostage situations, domestic violence, and other circumstances where individuals cannot make a call to 911.
Improved public safety efficiency: Next Generation 911’s benefits boil down to the increased efficiency of 911 services. Every video, photo, and text message offers a more detailed picture of a 911 caller’s situation, allowing PSAPs to provide faster and more accurate emergency response.
What is NG911?
NG911, also called Next Generation 911, is an emergency response telecommunications system that allows citizens to share vital information with dispatchers through multimedia. The NG911 infrastructure allows straightforward communication between citizens, dispatchers, and first responders.
With Next Generation 911, PSAPs can also communicate with each other, improving 911 system efficiency and resiliency.
Conclusion
A faster and more accurate 911 response can mean the difference between lives saved and tragedy for emergencies. With the Next Generation 911 nationwide initiative in place and preparing PSAPs for system implementation, emergency response personnel have the tools, technology, and data needed to continue protecting their communities.
Are you looking for more information about NG911 compliance and PSAP preparation?
Connect with our Next Generation experts and providers at NGA to get started!