Emergency response platform provider Intrado’s “State of the 9-1-1 Industry” report suggests that the emergency response sector is changing in fundamental ways as it integrates new technologies such as the cloud and artificial intelligence.
“We’re witnessing a true technological renaissance in public safety. Innovation is improving 9-1-1 on multiple fronts. Low-earth orbit satellites are now connecting emergency calls from areas previously beyond reliable coverage,” said co-author John Snapp, the vice president of technology at the firm, in a press release. Snapp co-authored the report.
“Cloud-based systems are improving reliability and security. AI tools are showing promise to process calls more effectively and reduce the significant stress on 9-1-1 telecommunicators.”
Highlights of the report:
- Next generation 911 (NG9-1-1) adoption is moving slowly. Variation in how public service answering points (PSAPs) and technology providers interpret and apply common standards, such as i3, adds unnecessary complexity. Federal funding likely will be needed to achieve end-to-end NG9-1-1 in the U.S.
- PSAPs are doing more to protect themselves against the rise in cyberattacks, which include ransomware, social engineering, and DDoS/TDoS. Greater consistency in security standards across jurisdictions will empower PSAPs to combat nation-state bad actors.
- Supplemental coverage from space is transforming the availability of 9-1-1 via satellite and extending emergency communications capabilities.
- AI tools are helping PSAPs and solve operational challenges.
- More PSAPs are transitioning away from on-premises solutions to cloud-based call handling systems. This reduces risk of system failure and enhances geographic flexibility.
- 9-1-1 requests for assistance are originating from a wider range of devices and contexts. These include smartwatches, IoT devices, and automobile crash scenes.
- For decades, technology upgrades and reliability improvements in 9-1-1 were made in response to federal law and regulation. Examples are communications provider requirements on wireless enhanced 9-1-1, text-to-9-1-1, location accuracy, location-based routing, direct access dialing for 9-1-1, dispatchable location, and NG9-1-1. Increasingly ,states and localities are taking a role in shaping emergency response requirements.