Every year, 240 million 9-1-1 calls are made to emergency call centers across the United States, with 80% coming from wireless devices. When someone dials 9-1-1, they expect fast, efficient, and reliable emergency response as soon as possible.

However, what happens behind the scenes at call centers is just as crucial to emergency response as the field responders themselves. This is where NG9-1-1 comes into play.

In this blog post from NGA, we'll explore what NG9-1-1 is, why it's important, and how it can lead to emergency call center success.

Table of Contents:

What is NG9-1-1?
Why is NG9-1-1 Important?
How NG9-1-1 Leads to Emergency Call Center Success
Improved Accuracy and Efficiency in Emergency Dispatch
More Comprehensive Communication During Emergencies
Improved Access to Critical Information
Enhanced Reliability and Continuity during Emergencies
Better Resource Allocation and Planning
Conclusion

What is NG911?

Next Generation 9-1-1, NG9-1-1 for short, is an Internet Protocol (IP) system that enables call centers to receive and process vital information in real-time. In simpler terms, NG9-1-1 allows call centers to receive calls through smartphone devices, computers, tablets, and more.

In addition to handling voice calls, NG9-1-1 can receive real-time text messages, photos, videos, and voice-to-text messages. This gives call center operators more information about the emergency at hand.

The advancements in NG9-1-1 not only benefit the call centers but also emergency field responders, allowing them to better prepare for the situation they're entering.

Why is NG911 Important?

NG9-1-1 is essential because it brings call centers and the public safety industry into the digital age. In today's society, people expect to be able to communicate in various ways and from any device.

The same should be expected in the case of an emergency. Next Generation 9-1-1's technology and infrastructure allow call centers to expand beyond voice calls and receive potentially life-saving information through multimedia sharing.

Instant access to this emergency data through various sources allows for better decision-making and situational awareness. It's also important to note that the continued expansion of technology can help 9-1-1 call centers better allocate resources to address emergency needs proactively.

How NG911 Leads to Emergency Call Center Success

A successful emergency call center is about more than just answering calls quickly. It's also about being equipped with the right technology, processes, and knowledge to respond to emergencies as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Continue reading to learn more.

Improved Accuracy and Efficiency in Emergency Dispatch

The traditional 9-1-1 system relies on voice communication, which means vital details may be lost in the noise and confusion of the call. With NG9-1-1, callers can submit their location digitally while the system also gathers additional data from other sources. This helps provide more accurate details to dispatchers.

Next Generation 9-1-1 can identify incoming calls or texts from registered phones, enabling faster data retrieval, improved call routing, and quicker call prioritization. Call centers can minimize response times and save more lives by streamlining the dispatch process.

More Comprehensive Communication During Emergencies

In a world where text messaging and social media have become primary means of communication, relying on voice calls for emergencies is outdated. NG9-1-1 is designed to integrate multiple communication channels into a single system, making it easier for callers to reach emergency services with alternative methods.

This makes it possible for call centers to receive additional information, provide emergency updates, and receive feedback from multiple sources across several connected devices. This comprehensive approach improves communication during emergencies and helps emergency responders to be more effective when providing assistance.

Improved Access to Critical Information

NG9-1-1 can provide first responders with real-time data from multiple sources to improve situational awareness. In addition to information obtained from callers, NG9-1-1 can gather data from public safety, other governmental agencies, and privately owned connected devices.

Such information can help responders make informed and timely decisions during emergency events. Seeing a more accurate, real-time view of an event can prevent waste of resources, quicken response times, and ultimately save lives.

Enhanced Reliability and Continuity during Emergencies

Traditional 9-1-1 systems are subject to downtime or overload during natural disasters or other catastrophic events. However, the NG9-1-1 system can continue to operate during such circumstances, even when other communication networks may be down.

NG9-1-1 has backup systems capable of rerouting emergency calls to the nearest functioning PSAP and processing data while operating with better redundancy. This allows emergency call centers to maintain operations during times of crisis.

Better Resource Allocation and Planning

With Next Generation 9-1-1, emergency call centers can leverage data analytics to monitor and analyze emergency trends and resource allocation. Thus, resulting in better prediction models to determine the community's needs.

Analytical insights from the NG9-1-1 system can be used to develop effective emergency preparedness plans and ensure sufficient resources are readily available to communities. Continuous monitoring and analysis allow for better allocation of resources, thus minimizing resource waste and maximizing effectiveness.’

Conclusion

NG9-1-1 is not just an upgrade to the United States' 9-1-1 system. It's an innovation that brings our public safety industry into the digital age. Call centers and emergency response teams need to understand what NG9-1-1 is and what it can do to protect public safety.

By implementing NG9-1-1, call centers can better serve the public, improve response times, and reduce operator workload. Let's embrace what the digital age offers and bring call centers across the country into the future.

Connect with our trusted NG9-1-1 providers and experts at NGA today!

NG911 for Emergency Call Center Success: A Closer Look