US$109m to upgrade call centres to NG911

Grants totalling more than US$109 million have been awarded to 34 US states and two tribal nations to help upgrade call centres to the Next Generation 911 (NG911) standard.

The grants, from the US departments of Transportation and Commerce, will fund basic upgrades such as providing digital and IP network capabilities to 911 emergency call centres, and will help with implementation of location identification systems.

NG911 will help 911 call centres manage overload situations, providing the ability to transfer calls, messages and data between public safety answering points that are connected to the IP network.

“Advances in public safety technology will allow critical information to flow seamlessly from the public, through the 911 networks and on to first responders,” said US Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “These 911 grant awards are a significant step toward a faster, more resilient emergency system.”

Image courtesy FirstNet.

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