Blogs

Training for the Cutover: What Dispatchers Say They Need Before Going Live on NG911

Nov 14, 2025

When a PSAP flips the switch to Next Generation 911, it’s not just a technical cutover — it’s an emotional one. Behind every router upgrade and GIS layer are people who’ve spent years mastering legacy systems. They’ve built muscle memory on analog co...
When a PSAP flips the switch to Next Generation 911, it’s not just a technical cutover — it’s an emotional one. Behind every router upgrade and GIS layer are people who’ve spent years mastering legacy systems. They’ve built muscle memory on analog consoles and now face a digital interface that rewires how they think, respond, and route calls — all while someone’s life is on the line. And here’s the truth most RFPs and vendor playbooks gloss over: The biggest hurdle to NG911 success isn’t tech...
Disaster & Failover Planning for NG911: Keeping Emergency Calls Going

Nov 10, 2025

When disaster strikes, every second counts — and every call matters. Whether it’s a hurricane, cyberattack, or network failure, Next Generation 911 (NG911) must stay operational when everything else fails. In this guide from NGA, we’ll break down...
When disaster strikes, every second counts — and every call matters. Whether it’s a hurricane, cyberattack, or network failure, Next Generation 911 (NG911) must stay operational when everything else fails. In this guide from NGA, we’ll break down exactly how to design disaster and failover systems that keep 911 online no matter what happens — using best practices, real Reddit and industry insights, and Google-compliant quality standards.   Why Failover Isn’t Optional in NG911 NG911’s IP-...
How NG911 Cloud Solutions Are Helping Public Safety Agencies Cut Down Costs

Oct 06, 2025

On average, around 240 million 911 calls are made annually in the United States. Handling about 600,000 emergency calls per day is no easy feat, and the responsibility falls to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) as they continue to face numerous...
On average, around 240 million 911 calls are made annually in the United States. Handling about 600,000 emergency calls per day is no easy feat, and the responsibility falls to Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) as they continue to face numerous challenges such as: Pinpointing 911 caller locations in minimal time Deploying the right emergency resources Translating emergency calls when call-takers and callers don’t speak the same language Maintaining a constant stream of reco...
NG911 FAQs: What Every Emergency Communications Leader Should Know

Sep 27, 2025

Public safety communications is entering a new era. Legacy 911 systems, designed on outdated landline and analog infrastructure, can no longer meet the demands of today's fast-paced and digital world. This is where NG911 (Next Generation 911) comes i...
Public safety communications is entering a new era. Legacy 911 systems, designed on outdated landline and analog infrastructure, can no longer meet the demands of today's fast-paced and digital world. This is where NG911 (Next Generation 911) comes in. Next Generation 911 leverages modern IP and cloud-based networks to provide more versatile, reliable, and faster emergency services.    This blog, from NGA, answers some of the most common FAQs about NG911 so emergency communications le...
Why NG911 Is No Longer Optional: How Next Generation 911 Empowers Emergency Call Handlers

Sep 10, 2025

Millions rely on 911 every day–yet, in some states, our public safety infrastructure is often still decades behind modern communication standards and demands. Legacy systems, built for limited data and landlines, struggle to meet today’s public safet...
Millions rely on 911 every day–yet, in some states, our public safety infrastructure is often still decades behind modern communication standards and demands. Legacy systems, built for limited data and landlines, struggle to meet today’s public safety needs—from multimedia emergencies to smartphone and device calls. With pressing FCC (Federal Communications Commission) compliance deadlines around this year, it’s clear that NG911 is no longer optional.    More than just a technical ove...
Beyond the 911 Phone Call: How NG911 Turns Every Emergency Interaction into a Smarter, Faster Response

Aug 20, 2025

When dialing 911, you expect assistance to be on the way—and fast. But what actually happens behind the scenes after the call is placed and connected? For decades, emergency calls were routed based on cell towers, their locations, limited to voice-on...
When dialing 911, you expect assistance to be on the way—and fast. But what actually happens behind the scenes after the call is placed and connected? For decades, emergency calls were routed based on cell towers, their locations, limited to voice-only communication, and often struggled with incomplete information. Today, a new era of emergency response is here thanks to Next Generation 911 (NG911). This emergency telecommunications system is modernizing how 911 calls are routed, evaluated, and...
NG911: Advancing from Operational Foundations to Complete Situational Awareness Across Agencies

Jul 23, 2025

Simply answering 911 calls is no longer enough to meet today’s public safety needs and demands. Emergency response teams now require live insights, multimedia data, and multi-agency coordination to make crucial decisions faster and more effectively t...
Simply answering 911 calls is no longer enough to meet today’s public safety needs and demands. Emergency response teams now require live insights, multimedia data, and multi-agency coordination to make crucial decisions faster and more effectively than ever before. That’s where NG911 (Next Generation 911) comes in—transforming 911 call centers into data-powered, interoperable command hubs.    In this blog from NGA, we’ll discuss how the shift from basic operational awareness to compl...
NG911 Resources for 2025: A Complete Guide

Jul 14, 2025

As emergency communication advances, access to modern and reliable resources is more crucial than ever. At NGA, our mission is to support public safety professionals by providing trusted guidance and tools for implementing and managing Next Generatio...
As emergency communication advances, access to modern and reliable resources is more crucial than ever. At NGA, our mission is to support public safety professionals by providing trusted guidance and tools for implementing and managing Next Generation 911 (NG911) systems. This guide brings together the most essential NG911 resources for 2025—covering standards, planning, training, and the technologies that are revolutionizing emergency response across the country. Next Generation 911 Explain...
Partnering with NG911 Providers: Strategies for Public Safety Agencies to Ensure Compliance and Efficiency

Jun 25, 2025

As NG911 (Next Generation 911) deployments increase across the country, public safety agencies must adapt to modernize their emergency communication systems. With the FCC (The Federal Communications Commission) introducing new standards and communiti...
As NG911 (Next Generation 911) deployments increase across the country, public safety agencies must adapt to modernize their emergency communication systems. With the FCC (The Federal Communications Commission) introducing new standards and communities demanding faster, more accurate emergency response, forming the right partnership with 911 providers like NGA is more essential than ever.     In this blog from NGA, we’ll dive into key strategies for public safety agencies to assess th...
Building a Resilient Future: The Importance of Nationwide ESInets in NG911 Deployment

Jun 12, 2025

As emergency communications evolve and break away from outdated analog systems to modern digital infrastructures, the foundation of public safety is being rebuilt. NG911 (Next Generation 911) is transforming the way emergency calls are handled with m...
As emergency communications evolve and break away from outdated analog systems to modern digital infrastructures, the foundation of public safety is being rebuilt. NG911 (Next Generation 911) is transforming the way emergency calls are handled with modernized, cutting edge technology. At the heart of this transformation are the Emergency Services IP Networks, otherwise known as ESInets. These secure, digital, and highly resilient networks are designed to handle the data-powered demands and multi...