Comments on: Enhanced 9-1-1

By: John Means

John Means — Wed, 20 May 2009 21:45:39 +0000

In California all 911 calls are handled by the Hiway Patrol rather than the local PSAP on the assumption that most cell calls are made by motorists. This is becoming a problem with the growing number of people who do not have land line phones.

By: Charles Tiffin

Charles Tiffin — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:25:30 +0000

Gray, excellent point! Mobile devices take this issue to an entirely new level of consideration. As to the issue of what constitutes an emergency; while working in a PSAP I was amazed at the nature of the “non-emergency” calls that came in on the 9-1-1 line. I believe that more public education and the further expansion of non-emergency lines will help in this regard. Then we only have the technological issues to consider.

Thanks for sharing your comment and expertise.
Charles

By: Major Graham Newbold

Major Graham Newbold — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:10:06 +0000

The 911 response challenge is an interesting aspect of a growing problem with emerging satellite based communications technologies across all domains of emergency response. This goes beyond the traditional perspective of the telephone call to 911 and moves into the area of devices and associated systems such as OnStar in automobiles, satellite based tracking devices such as SPOT Messenger with a 911 features, to the Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and beyond to the Emergency Locator Transmitters (ELTs)/Emergency Positioning Indicator Beacons (EPIRBs) in aircraft and boats. There is a convergence of these technologies that is and will stretch response capacity of all responsible agencies to the limit. It will also require, in my opinion, a paradigm shift in how we understand distress (emergency) notification by the public and require new relationships/interoperability understandings among response organizations. While this only touches the surface it is a very new and rapidly emerging area of concern that most organizations are not yet even aware.

There is a growing uneasiness in the Canadian Search and Rescue system about the implications. It is beginning to spill over into the traditional fire and police services responce agencies (RCMP as an example)as well. Keep an eye open and consider the expectations of the public and the commercial providers of these lucrative devices in the near future.

Cheers, Gray Newbold

By: Pat Savage

Pat Savage — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:42:23 +0000

Phase II compliance, as mandated by the FCC, requires all cellular carriers to provide cell phones that are GPS-enabled and that transmit the cell phone number and Latitude/Longitude information to the PSAP. Part of the mandate states that upon request of a PSAP, a wireless carrier has 6 months to provide the location information and that it must prove the accuracy of that location data(wireless accuracy testing).
It is the individual PSAP’s that must have the required equipment to make use of that location data. Specifically a CAD system or 911 Phone equipment (CPE) that will plot the latitude/longitude information on a map within the 911 center, and that it has software that can perform a re-bid at any given time (a function that updates the lat/long info in the case of a “moving target”).
Pennsylvania is operates as a commonwealth, which means the authority for 911 is vested at the County level. However, the state emergency management bureau (PEMA)helps counties deploy phase II services from carriers by helping fund CAD systems that provide the needed functionality, mapping systems and programs, wireless accuracy testing, etc. Most of this funding comes from the $1.00 surcharge for 911 service that wireless carriers charge their customers.
Currently in PA, there are 59 out of 69 counties certified phase II compliant, 6 counties having issues with a particular wireless service provider but are otherwise phase II compliant, and 4 that are not phase II. 2 of those should be phase II within a few months.
With all that background information, it is important to note that there are requirements that the wireless carriers need to meet, as well as requirements that the individual PSAP’s need to meet.
All that being said, currently there are very few PSAP’s that have provided the public with a mechanism to transmit text messages and/or images from cell phones and IP-enabled phones (phone via internet)directly to the 911 dispatch centers. The push to provide that level of service will be significant moving forward (Next Generation 911).

By: John Ellison

John Ellison — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 11:25:28 +0000

This problem is not universal… We have all cell phone companies routing direct to our PSAP and have had for years. Check with your local officials but be aware this may be a problem when you travel.

Within a few month we will have all 67 counties in Alabama Phase II capable which means we can receive the lat-lon coordinates of callers when they dial 9-1-1 subject to some restrictions.

http://www.nena.org/cellular-wireless-911 is a good source of info.

By: Michael Brown

Michael Brown — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 19:43:05 +0000

Dr. Mosser, thanks.