The full potential of NG911 won’t be realized until dispatchers can re- ceive video, photos and rich digital data from the public, dramatically improving emergency response.
of having to wait for counties and mu- nicipalities to raise funds and move for- ward with the network, the small state used its existing statewide 911 platform to upgrade the system. It was financed by a surcharge on telephone bills. It also benefitted from tech-savvy customers who supported improvements—Massa- chusetts is a technology hub and home to innovators like MIT. The state’s implementation strategy called for taking small steps in favor of big leaps, contributing to its success. FOURNIER OFFERS THREE MAJOR PIECES OF ADVICE TO STATES PREPARING FOR THEIR NG911 UPGRADE Test the system through pilot programs and in realistic settings to detect flaws; Invest in the extensive training of dispatchers; Hire an independent security ven- dor to perform either a scan or evaluate the security of the NG911 system. The training program involved 5,200 dispatchers across Massachu- setts. Learning how to expertly navigate new software after an NG911 upgrade has more on the line than mastering the usual software program. Says Fournier, “Here you could lose a life if you do something wrong. It’s not like correcting an error on a spreadsheet.” n
To gain the full benefits of NG911, the towns of Plympton, Halifax and Roch- ester opted to join a regional call center in Duxbury. The gains include freeing up firefighters doubling as dispatchers, reducing costs by eliminating redun- dant systems and providing profession- ally trained dispatchers. At Duxbury, dispatchers aim to turn around a call in 10 seconds. “The real first responders are the dispatchers. They’re the first link in the chain of survival,” says Fire Captain Rob Rear- don who oversees the Duxbury center. While each state may differ, Massachu- setts' goal is to centralize all 911 ser- vices by moving local PSAPs to regional centers to centralize dispatching where it makes sense in order to share costs, increase efficiencies, and provide bet- ter services. But many towns want to retain local control. “The basic think- ing is that a station should never go dark and that’s made the process more difficult,” explains Normand Fournier, Deputy Director of the Massachusetts’ 911 department. “We believe they’ll have a better level of service.” Even state financial incentives haven’t spurred buy-in, highlighting a common implementation challenge: overcoming opposition to change. Reardon was an early supporter, push- ing the state to select Duxbury as the
NG911 pilot for regional call centers. He was frustrated that “people weren’t getting the help they needed quick enough.” At town forums, he touts the benefits. A key one: directly answering mobile calls. Although Boston and other major cities are answering calls directly, the majority of NG911 PSAPs continue routing mobile calls to the state police, which then must determine the loca- tion and transfer calls to the correct local dispatcher. Reardon’s pitch to local departments: “We’re one-stop shopping. No transfers when someone isn’t breathing.” The full potential of NG911 won’t be realized until dispatchers can receive video, photos and rich digital data from the public, dramatically improv- ing emergency response. Although the base technology is in place, Fournier estimates it could take years to establish the required standards and protocols for securely transferring such rich digital data from the public over the network. Throughout a three-year implementa- tion, Massachusetts worked systemati- cally to ensure that NG911 was ready to go live. The state had a head start on challenges that stall upgrades elsewhere. Instead
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