GIS and Next Generation Public Safety Norman H. Forshee, 911 Coordinator St Clair County ETSB
What is Next Generation 911? Modern advancements in communications technology require a more advanced 911 system Emphasis on wireless and IP-based communication Next generation 911 system should respond anytime, anywhere, from any device
911 PSAPs Will Become Emergency Communications Hubs In addition to traditional 911 callers, there are: Approximately 180 million cell phone subscribers Trucks with GPS and communications systems Devices that can provide additional data to the PSAP such as text messages, pictures, and videos Increasing numbers of voice over IP (VoIP) telephone subscribers
Next Generation 911 System
Next Generation 911 Relies on GIS Static street addresses do not apply to wireless and IP-based devices Lat/long coordinates now define a callers location
GIS for X/Y Routing of 911 Calls GIS boundary files determine which 911 call center will receive a call based on the associated lat/long coordinates
911 Telecommunicators Need GIS to Interpret Caller Location Lat/long coordinates are not easily interpreted like a street address is Plotting the coordinates using GIS with other reference data allows for easy interpretation of relative location Responding agencies can also this access real time location data
Future Considerations National routing database program for X/Y routing Standardization and local control over jurisdictional boundaries on a large scale Data standards with gap/overlap monitoring between jurisdictions