NG911 Adoption: How to Support Next Generation 911 in Your PSAP and Community
Posted in All, NGA911 on Nov 03, 2022
Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) are the first emergency response line for millions of citizens across the United States. For PSAPs to provide efficient and effective 911 services, they must be equipped with the most reliable and modernized emergency response system, like NG9-1-1.
NG911 is the next generation in emergency response, and this infrastructure allows PSAPs to receive and process information from citizens as the incident occurs. NG911 also provides agencies with the roadmap to success, ensuring that 911 agencies and their communities are ready for NG911 implementation.
In this blog post from our trusted NG911 providers and experts at NGA, we'll discuss how you can support NG911 adoption in your PSAP and community in just six steps!
Table of Contents
- The Role of the PSAP in 911
- The PSAP and NG911 Relationship: Improving Emergency Response for All
- Understanding the Need for Next Generation 911 in American PSAPs and Communities
- 6 Steps for Supporting NG911 Adoption in Your PSAP and Community
- Help Your PSAP Understand What NG911 Adoption Means for Them
- Educate Your Community on How NG911 Will Change Emergency and Incident Reporting
- Talk to Your PASP Vendors About NG911 Implementation
- Research Emergency Response Systems with Your Stakeholders
- Get Your Stakeholders Involved with Public Safety Industry Leaders
- Always Remain Engaged
- Conclusion
People Also Ask:
What is the difference between E911 and NG911?
Emergency telecommunications agencies like PSAPs are replacing their systems from Legacy E911 to NG911. The E911 infrastructure tracks 911 caller location and mobility, while NG911 provides dispatchers and first responders with emergency caller information in real time.
How many states have NG911?
As of 2022, Thirteen U.S. states and territories have a fully functional NG911 system. This means that these states are currently managing 911 calls using NG911 technology.
What does the A stand for in PSAP?
The letter "A" in PSAP stands for "Answering." PSAPs are emergency response organizations responsible for processing 911 calls that must follow a specific operating policy regarding answering emergency calls and deploying life-saving resources.
What are NG911 services?
The NG911 system supports and offers various services dedicated to providing citizens with faster, more streamlined emergency response services.
With NG911, individuals in need can communicate with 911 emergency dispatchers and provide valuable information to 911 personnel via text messaging, voice messaging, photos, and videos.
The Role of the PSAP in 911
A PSAP is a call center responsible for answering emergency calls. Every community has at least one PSAP; in many cases, multiple PSAPs are spread out across a region to ensure they can answer emergency calls promptly.
PSAPs are staffed by trained professionals who are adept at handling high-pressure situations. In addition to answering emergency calls, PSAPs also play a vital role in maintaining contact with first responders during an incident.
When PSAPs are equipped with top-of-the-line telecommunication infrastructures and technology, these emergency response agencies can provide crucial information and instructions that can help to resolve an incident as quickly and safely as possible.
The PSAP and NG911 Relationship: Improving Emergency Response for All
A streamlined PSAP and NG911 relationship is vital for improved emergency response in communities throughout the country. While PSAPs receive and process 911 calls, the Next Generation 911 system is designed to help dispatchers manage the large volume of data associated with these calls.
PSAPs and the NG911 infrastructure are critical for ensuring that emergency calls are correctly routed and callers receive the help they need. The PSAP manages the initial call routing and identifies the appropriate resources for the incident. The NG911 system provides enhanced callers capabilities, such as text-to-911 and real-time location information. Emergency responders use this information to improve their response times and ensure they have the necessary resources.
Together, PSAPs and NG911 can improve emergency response times and ensure that everyone gets the help they need when they need it, ultimately saving more lives in the process.
Understanding the Need for Next Generation 911 in American PSAPs and Communities
Since the first 911 call was made in 1968, the emergency response system has undergone many changes. The most significant change came in the 1990s with the introduction of enhanced 911 or E-911.
E-911 allowed callers to be automatically routed to the nearest PSAP and their location to be displayed on a map. This was a significant improvement over the previous system, which required callers to know their location and manually connect to the correct PSAP.
However, E-911 did not address one of the most fundamental problems with the emergency response system: the lack of interoperability between different systems. This problem was highlighted in 2001 when the World Trade Center towers collapsed. In the aftermath of the incident, it became clear that first responders needed a way to communicate with each other regardless of their agency or location.
As a result, the idea of NG911 was born. NG911 is an IP-based system that allows callers to connect to any PSAP in the country and provides first responders with real-time information about an incident, regardless of where it occurs. Additionally, NG911 is designed to be fully interoperable with existing communication systems, making it easy for agencies to upgrade their existing infrastructure.
NG911 represents a significant step forward for emergency response in America, and its implementation will help to ensure that our communities are better prepared for major incidents.
6 Steps for Supporting NG911 Adoption in Your PSAP and Community
NG911 adoption is critical for public safety agencies and communities alike. NG911 provides enhanced call handling and routing capabilities and offers several other benefits, such as improved location accuracy and the ability to receive multimedia data from citizens in need.
Public safety agencies can help ensure a successful NG911 rollout in their community by taking the following six steps below.
- Help Your PSAP Understand What NG911 Adoption Means for Them
To provide the quickest and most accurate service possible, PSAP employees must be well-versed in their computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system and other modern technology. This includes data pulled from smartphones and apps— both of which have the potential to save lives by reducing response times.
- Educate Your Community on How NG911 Will Change Emergency and Incident Reporting
Although the new data available for call-takers and dispatchers is more precise, some processes will remain unchanged. Make sure the public is aware they will still need to provide usual information like the address of the incident; however, there are also non-verbal ways to reach 911, including mobile apps.
- Talk to Your PASP Vendors About NG911 Implementation
Do your vendors have a roadmap to get you NG911 capable? If not, what is their plan to get you there? Map out how to adopt this technology to know where you need to go.
- Research Emergency Response Systems with Your Stakeholders
Public safety agencies often have stakeholders at different government levels. These leaders are responsible for determining an agency's infrastructure and how to improve it.
- Get Your Stakeholders Involved with Public Safety Industry Leaders
To properly implement the next generation of communications, collaboration is key between emergency responders, public safety officials, and all levels of government.
To stay up-to-date with industry changes, it is essential to keep stakeholders informed of recommendations from leading organizations such as the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).
- Always Remain Engaged
Remaining engaged in your industry can mean a few different things:
- Educating and involving the public.
- Keeping up with current trends.
- Using new technology to prepare for both planned and unplanned events.
One way agencies can help the public is by giving speeches at local events or using social media platforms to their advantage.
Conclusion
NG911 has the potential to greatly improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public safety agencies nationwide. However, its success depends on the willingness of individual agencies to upgrade their systems and processes.
By ensuring that your agency's systems are compatible with NG911 and providing training for your staff on how to use new features, you can help ensure a successful implementation of NG911 in your community.
Would you like to know more about how you can promote NG911 adoption in your community?