NG911 Vs E911: Understanding the Difference Between These Two 911 Systems
Posted in All, NGA911 on Apr 21, 2022
As PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) and other emergency response telecommunication centers across America transition to NG9-1-1, this conversion will likely involve public safety organizations using both NG911 and E911 for a short time. With NG911 standards changing the course of agency response, the need for more reliable and accurate public safety services is vital.
But, what is NG911? What is E911? And what is the difference between these two 911 systems?
In this blog, our NG911 providers and experts, NGA, will discuss:
- What NG911 is
- What E911 is
- The difference between NG911 and E911 systems
- Why choose Next Generation 911
What is NG911?
NG911, or Next Generation 911, is an emergency response communications system that makes seamless communication possible between citizens, dispatchers, and first responders. The NG911 infrastructure includes innovative technology and cloud-based IP networks that enable citizens in need to send potentially life-saving information to PSAPs through voice and multimedia capabilities.
Next Generation 911 also refers to a nationwide initiative that follows NG911 NENA standards. The goal of the NG911 initiative is for PSAPs and other public safety organizations across the country to upgrade their current 911 systems to Next Generation 911 to provide communities with faster and more accurate emergency response services.
What is E911?
E911 stands for Enhanced 911. E911 is an emergency response system used throughout the United States to provide a 911 caller’s location to PSAP dispatchers. Enhanced 911 infrastructure is part of the traditional 911 Legacy infrastructure and was designed for citizens seeking emergency response assistance through fire, police, and ambulance services.
For the past 20 years, 911 solutions such as E911 have attempted to resolve the emergency caller location and mobility dilemma by tracking the movement of smart devices. Solutions like Enhanced 911 strive to tie a device to a unique phone number and specific location.
NG911 Vs. E911
Next Generation 911 (NG911) is referred to as the future, or next generation, of 911. With the NG911 initiative, American emergency telecommunications organizations will replace their Legacy E911 systems with NG911.
Where E911 tracks emergency caller location and mobility, Next Generation 911 provides PSAPs and first responders with 911 caller location data that is more accurate and in real-time. With this vital information, first responders can locate citizens in need and emergencies with less guesswork, significantly reducing response times and saving more lives.
Enhanced 911 (E911) provides two primary lines of emergency caller location data to the PSAP. Line one consists of information such as associated addresses and specific phone numbers. Line two involves the data a first responder needs to identify a caller's location beyond an address, allowing them to locate the 911 caller and emergency.
E911 lines contained limited information characters, meaning that the data collected from an emergency call and location often takes up to twenty-four to forty-eight hours to reach the PSAP.
Why Choose NG911?
Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) are the local call centers that receive and handle 911 calls within a specific geographical area. Across the nation, these geographic areas can be defined in many ways, all depending on their locations.
Many of these 911 call centers are small organizations, serving a single city or a small coverage area. With many individuals now working from home as the new normal, public safety agencies need technology that can accurately pinpoint emergency caller information regardless of the individual’s phone type and location.
The bottom line: The caller location inefficiencies of E911 to provide location updates, and the high number of remote companies and workers, are creating an environment for inconsistent and unreliable emergency response, thus making the need for new NG911 solutions vital.
Conclusion
In today’s fast-paced, digital world, public safety systems must support multimedia communications and the heavy influx of911 calls. With the deployment and implementation of NG911, dispatchers and first responders can now decrease emergency response times and save more lives.
The valuable data PSAPs and other 911 organizations can receive from citizens through NG911 capabilities provide public safety personnel with timely and accurate information while keeping everyone informed about an incident.
Responding to emergency calls and incidents has never been easier with Next Generation 911. As leading NG911 providers, NGA is proud to provide this innovative emergency response system and solutions to support America's first responders.
Are you looking for more information regarding NG911?
Connect with our friendly and knowledgeable Next Generation 911 experts at NGA today!