The Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 And What It Means for The Future of Emergency Response

The evolution of emergency response means going beyond traditional 911 systems. Currently, conventional 911 infrastructures cannot support the increasing need for public safety services and advancing technology.

Next Generation 911 has been called "the future of emergency response" for 20 years. Surprisingly, there's still a good amount of ECCs and PSAPs that have yet to transition to NG9-1-1.

In a greater effort to meet the needs of faster and more reliable emergency assistance across the nation, the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 was introduced to Congress earlier this year.

You may be wondering what the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 is exactly and why it's important. Our NG911 providers and experts at NGA are here to discuss precisely that!

In this blog, our NGA team will cover:

What the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 is
What the Next Generation bill includes
Why upgrading to Next Generation 911 is essential
What NG911 will provide for 911 professionals and first responders

What is The Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021?

The Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 was introduced to Congress earlier this year. The bill is part of the LIFT America Act. The purpose of the Next Generation bill is to allow the authorization of nationwide upgrades of traditional 911 systems to NG911.

Upgrading current 911 systems to Next Generation 911 is essential to protect the American public and support the professionals who serve them.

What Does The Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 Include?

The passing of the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 could mean many changes for the public safety industry.

As introduced, the Next Generation 911 bill states that it:

Authorizes a federal grant program to help rural, urban, and tribal communities implement NG911. Communities of all sizes across the nation can have a reliable and secure way to receive, process, and respond to 911 calls.

Protects Next Generation 911 investments that local and state governments have already made for deployments. This protection will also help maximize NG911 investments by allowing for future deployments and adding multimedia sharing capabilities.

Recognizes NG911 Security as a top priority. The Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 will work to eradicate the inability of the general public to reach 911 because of a cyberattack.

Helps fix the current situation of ECCs having internal operation issues when it comes to transferring voice calls to other emergency call centers. The Next Generation bill would work to implement NG911 so that telecommunicators can continue to deploy emergency services using streamlined cloud-based IP networks.

Ensures that local and state governments stay in control of their NG911 system and services. The Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 recognizes the importance of local and state governments implementing Next Generation 911 across America.

Understanding Why Upgrading to Next Generation 911 is Essential

For 911 professionals and first responders to protect the public effectively, they must have the right tools and technology to do so. PSAPs and ECCs upgrading their emergency response systems to Next Generation 911 will have greater access to potentially life-saving information.

NG911 allows emergency response professionals to have real-time information, such as:

Voice communication messaging
Photos and Videos
Text Messages
Geographic information system (GIS) data
Computer-aided notes
Accident-specific information
Location tracking

With the implementation of Next Generation 911 comes improved emergency response and easier access to 911 for the general public.

What NG911 Can Provide to 911 Professionals And First Responders

With the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 comes the goal of implementing NG911 in every emergency response agency across the nation. Because the Next Generation 911 system uses secure and highly adaptable cloud-based IP networks, 911 professionals and first responders can use its capabilities to help save more lives.

Beyond allowing telecommunicators and dispatchers to receive multimedia from 911 callers, Next Generation 911 can provide emergency response professionals with vital benefits.

These include:

911 call routing and sharing to other telecommunicators when a PSAP is down
Seamless data sharing between 911 call centers, first responders, trauma centers, and other emergency response agencies
PSAP linking to share resources like GIS information and databases
Supporting multimedia sharing to allow 911 professionals to provide 911 services in the 21st century
Real-time data sharing between emergency response professionals and the general public

The Next Generation 9-1-1 Act And The Future of Emergency Response

You may be aware of the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2021 being introduced as part of the LIFT America Act. The Next Generation bill is important regarding NG9-1-1 because it will work to get public safety professionals the technology and tools they need to protect American citizens.

As a leading provider of Next Generation 911, NGA is proud to do its part in helping PSAPs and ECCs implement and transition to NG911 nationwide.