The "State of 911" Webinar Series

November 2021

Public Safety Telecommunicator Reclassification Resources & Preparing ECC Leaders for the Transition to NG911

View this webinar for an update on the public safety telecommunicator job reclassification effort, and the preparations the Georgia Emergency Communications Authority are making for the transition to Next Generation 911 (NG911).

Public Safety Telecommunicator Reclassification Toolkit
Public safety telecommunicators are a critical link in public safety response. They are the first to respond to a request for assistance, and support stressful situations throughout their entire shift—often without much of a break. Over the years, the role of the telecommunicator has grown as capabilities, technology, and social expectations have evolved. Today’s Emergency Communications Centers (ECC) require that telecommunicators have the knowledge, skill, and ability to process and analyze 911 calls, operate in a dynamic environment, and make mass notifications to responders and citizens as a crisis evolves in real time.

Currently, the public safety telecommunicator position is classified as a clerical job by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Standard Occupational Classification system and many states, but this classification falls short of providing the recognition they deserve for the work they do every day. The National 911 Program has developed a four-part toolkit with actionable steps to help ECCs and the public safety industry to create the objective evidence to support reclassification, including:

• Developing a public safety telecommunicator job description
• Establishing and expanding a public safety telecommunicator training program
• Operational integration of technology and tools in the ECC
• Developing a legislative strategy for reclassification

This session addresses the history of the reclassification effort, provides an overview of the toolkit, and outlines the steps ECCs and public safety leaders can take to support public safety telecommunicator job reclassification.

GECA Prepares ECC Leaders for NG911 Transition
The Georgia Emergency Communications Authority (GECA) recognized that the transition to NG911 would impact all aspects of 911, including training, standard operating procedures, budgeting, technology and cybersecurity. This discussion explains how GECA is helping fulfill their mission to facilitate the effective and efficient operation of 911 and emergency communications across the state by providing future ECC leaders with the tools they need to lead people, manage systems, and meet local, state, and federal requirements by applying national best practices to their individual situations.

Speakers include:

• Katherine Elkins, MPH, CPH, NRP, CHES, EMS Specialist, Office of Emergency Medical Services, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Michael Nix, Executive Director, Georgia Emergency Communications Authority

September 2021

Implementing 988 for Mental Health Emergencies & NG911 Training Tips for Ops and IT Staff

View this webinar for an update on the status of 988, the nation’s three-digit number for mental health emergencies, and the Washington, DC, Office of Unified Communications’ (DC-OUC) approach to NG911 training for their operational and IT staff.

Implementation of 988
In 2019, the FCC staff – in consultation with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the Department of Veteran Affairs, and the North American Numbering Council – released a report recommending the use of 988 as the three-digit code for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Dr. John Draper and Dr. Richard McKeon share information on the implementation of 988 as the uniform number for mental health emergencies, provide an update on its status for meeting the July 16, 2022, timeline, and what 911 needs to know to prepare.

NG911 Training
Like many public safety entities today, the DC-OUC is planning for a full transition to NG911. As part of this preparation, the Office recognized the need to train not only operational staff on NG911, but their information technology staff, as well. This session provides an overview of the comprehensive training that has been developed to meet these needs.

Speakers include:

• John Draper, Ph.D., Executive Director, National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and Executive Vice President of National Networks, Vibrant Emotional Health
• Selena MacArthur, CAD/Telephony Program Manager, DC-OUC
• Heather McGaffin, Director of Emergency Operations, DC-OUC
• Richard McKeon, Ph.D., Chief, Suicide Prevention Branch, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), US Department of Health and Human Services

July 2021

How to Plan, Prepare For, and Implement a Federal Grant

Pending 911 legislation may provide “a once in a career” opportunity to plan, prepare, and take advantage of federal grant funding to implement NG911.

In this webinar, Laurie Flaherty, National 911 Program Coordinator, shares information to help states prepare for possible future federal grant funding. She explains the tools available to understand where your state, region, or PSAP falls on the NG911 Transition Continuum, and offers suggestions for actions to take advantage of this opportunity.

Ed Reuter, Executive Director of the Indiana Statewide 911 Board, provides an overview of their office’s process in planning and preparing for the current Federal 911 Grant Program. He also explains how Indiana utilized its $2.8M grant award to provide sub-grants to local PSAPs and shares:

• Criteria used to determine eligible project proposals
• Access to the practical tools implemented to provide PSAP guidance and support
• Information on the reimbursement process

May 2021

Canadian NG911 Insights & State Shares Certification Protocol

Watch this webinar to learn more about NG911 implementation and regulation in Canada. Then, a representative from the state of Kentucky shares the certification protocol developed for funding PSAPs from state-collected wireless 911 fees.

NIOC Interoperability and Security Initiatives
How do our neighbors to the north leverage the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in regulating 911? Watch this webinar to learn how Canada has approached implementing NG911, including the development of an NG911 policy framework.

Kentucky PSAP Certification & Wireless 911 Fees
To fund or not to fund, that is the question. The Kentucky 911 Services Board developed a comprehensive certification protocol to ensure wireless 911 fees collected at a statewide level are only disseminated to PSAPs able to deliver wireless 911 calls. The Kentucky Office of Homeland Security shares information on lessons learned in the process and how the state uses its certification protocol.

Speakers Include:

Étienne Robelin, Manager, Emergency Services Policy, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Mylène Germain, Senior Analyst, Emergency Services Policy, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Joel McGrath, Senior Analyst, Emergency Services Policy, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Mike Sunseri, Deputy Executive Director, Kentucky Office of Homeland Security

March 2021

NG911 Rollout: National and State Perspectives

Watch this webinar to learn how states are deploying NG911, and a discussion of independent efforts to promote NG911 Interoperability nationwide.

NIOC Interoperability and Security Initiatives
The NG9-1-1 Interoperability Oversight Commission (NIOC) is an independent oversight governance body established to support NG911 interoperability and security across North America and beyond. After this Q&A session you’ll come away with an understanding of the role of NIOC, its current initiatives, and benefits for the 911 community.

Pennsylvania NG911 Deployment Approach
This year, Pennsylvania will begin to implement a statewide NG911 solution. Hear from representatives from the state as they share their plan for a unique NG911 service deployment approach for each of the seven regions, as well as their strategy to leverage existing regional ESInets.

Speakers Include:

Rick Blackwell, E9-1-1 Director, Greenville County, SC (NIOC Chair)
Jeff Wittek, Chief of Staff, Motorola Solutions (NIOC member)
Steve McMurrer, 9-1-1 Systems Administrator, Fairfax County, VA (NIOC member)
Jeff Boyle, Deputy Director 911 Office, Pennsylvania Emergency Management Office

January 2021

Put Newly Available National 911 Data to Work for You

Watch this webinar to learn how you can put new 911 data to use for your organization. Hear highlights and important data about two recently released key nationwide reports:

The FCC's Twelfth Annual Report to Congress on 911 fee diversion contains statistical data, figures on deployment of 911 technologies such as text-to-911, and whether 911 charges are being used for purposes other than supporting 911 and E911.

The National 911 Annual Report provides comprehensive state 911 data, voluntarily submitted by states and territories about their own systems. It is the most current and holistic collection of such data, and provides insight into:

• The number and type of 911 calls
• The number and sizes of PSAPs
• Emergency Medical Dispatch protocols
• NG911 implementation progress

Speakers Include:

Jill Coogan, Attorney Advisor, Policy and Licensing Division, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission
Laurie Flaherty, Coordinator, National 911 Program

November 2020

NG911 Roadmap Community Progress and Virtual Learning Tips

New Resource for NG911 Progress Collaboration
The NG911 Roadmap, released in 2019, outlines technical and non-technical tasks at a national level that must be completed to achieve a fully integrated NG911 system of systems. A new easy-to-use tool, the NG911 Roadmap Progress Report, helps identify and track activities by organizations, associations and other groups in achieving those tasks. This session shares how to use the tool, how to get involved and find out what it means for your organization. The success of NG911 is dependent on the 911 community’s dedication and collaboration. Learn about the work underway and how you can champion your organization’s involvement in this nationwide effort.

Adapting to Remote Learning & Training
Distance learning does not have to be “distanced” learning. Discover tips and tricks that can make remote learning and teaching just as effective as in-person courses. Maine’s Emergency Services Communication Bureau (ESCB) shares their learned lessons and demonstrate how they were able to modify existing New Hire and Quality Assurance courses to a remote-based platform.

Speakers Include:

Mary Boyd, Vice President, Regulatory, Policy, Intrado Corp, (Roadmap Stakeholder Contributor group) & Jackie Mines, Senior Public Safety Consultant, Mission Critical Partners, (Project Manager for Roadmap Progress Report)
Maria P. Jacques, ENP, Director, Maine Emergency Services Communication Bureau & Cory Golob, Training Manager, Maine Emergency Services Communication Bureau

September 2020

NG911 Interstate Playbooks: Case Studies in Collaboration, Coordination and Joint Purchasing

PSAPs, states and jurisdictions around the country are determining optimal ways to interconnect and move NG911 forward, but they don’t have to do it alone. Best practices, real lessons learned and sample documents have been collected in a series of NG911 Interstate Playbook chapters since 2016. The latest chapters – 3 and 4 – follow new jurisdictions and the unique challenges and opportunities each experienced to achieve interoperable NG911 systems. Join this webinar to hear from the leaders involved in creating each chapter.

Chapter 3 focuses on the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (MWCOG) region. Representatives from Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia will discuss the steps and processes to collectively plan and independently procure an integrated, interoperable regional solution for NG Core Services and an ESInet (Emergency Services Internet Protocol network).

Chapter 4 takes a deeper dive into the transition of NG911 services in Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. Each state, at a different stage of implementation and transition, is approaching NG911 in a way that meets their unique needs. Representatives will share tips for testing between two different ESInet providers, lessons on decommissioning and retiring of legacy network elements, methods for reviewing your current status and rules to determine legislative authority readiness.

July 2020

911 DataPath: A Strategic Plan for Sharing 911 Data Nationwide

Because a standard 911 data system doesn’t exist, the opportunity to share actionable data across the nation is limited. The 911 DataPath is an initiative to produce a framework to enable the voluntary adoption of a uniform 911 data system. The initiative is underway and needs input on the types of administrative data for decision making that would be useful when shared with other 911 systems.

This webinar address how access to timely, automated, reliable data sharing will help PSAPs and ECCs in their everyday work, how the 911 community can learn about and contribute to this effort, and the types of data under consideration.

Speakers Include:

Steve McMurrer, 911 Systems Administrator, Department of Public Safety Communications, Fairfax County, Virginia
Jackie Mines, Senior Consultant, Mission Critical Partners, Project Manager
Laurie Flaherty, Program Coordinator, National 911 Programr

May 2020

GIS Data in Pandemic Response & Non-English Text-to-911 Requests

As the 911 industry works to improve GIS data for the transition to NG911, other benefits include accurate COVID-19-related data. The Maryland Department of Information Technology (DoIT) shares how Maryland officials are providing a clear picture of the state’s response and how statistics are used to support decision-making during response, recovery and rebuilding phases in this unprecedented event.

Individuals with limited English Proficiency (LEP) may experience additional challenges in emergency situations when communicating with public safety officials. As Text-to-911 becomes common across the nation, public safety telecommunicators will receive more non-English texts, resulting in increased needs for translation services. The IJIS Institute provides details on the Institute’s initiative to address technology, standards and affordability of a commercially available, public safety-grade solutions for Text-to-911 translation.

Speakers Include:

Julia Fischer, Geographic Information Officer / Director, Data Services (BI/GIS) Maryland Dept of Information Technology
Michael Alagna, Program Director of the IJIS Institute

March 2020

Next Steps in Reclassifying Public Safety Telecommunicators

Roles and responsibilities for public safety telecommunicators have evolved drastically over the years. As emergency communications centers transition from a legacy environment to Next Generation 911, those roles will continue to change. In the most recent Standard Occupational Classification (SOC), the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) made the decision to not reclassify Public Safety Telecommunicators’ role as Protective Service Occupations (as opposed to administrative/clerical occupations).

To enable the 911 community to work within the requirements of this system to reclassify telecommunicators, it is important to understand the BLS SOC process and the objective data utilized. This session:

• Provides background on the BLS SOC
• Shares a template job description that could be used by local/state 911 agencies to provide the date necessary for BLS SOC reclassification
• Shares a call for action

Speakers Include:

Dan Henry, Regulatory Counsel and Director of Government Affairs, National Emergency Number Association
Katherine Elkins, EMS/911 Specialist, National 911 Program
Michael Nix, Executive Director, Georgia Emergency Communications Authority

January 2020

New NG911 Self-Assessment Tool and Statewide NG911 Operations Center Case Study

A newly released tool helps 911 agencies evaluate the current level of NG911 readiness and clarify next steps toward implementation. The easy-to-use assessment resource guides users through a series of questions and categorizes the information into one of six identified NG911 maturity states.

Learn how the tool can work for you from a member of the SAFECOM-NCSWIC NG911 Working Group who has actually used it.

Then, learn how North Carolina is ensuring that its service runs at peak performance at all times. The new North Carolina Network Monitoring and Assistant Center (NMAC) immediately troubleshoots network issues and quickly reroutes calls to other PSAPs. Learn about:

• The concept behind the statewide network operations center
• The process to build out the center and train staff
• Challenges that were overcome in the transition from legacy 911 to NG911

Speakers Include:

Tyrell Morris, Executive Director, New Orleans Parish Communication District and member of the SAFECOM/NCSWIC NG911 Working Group
Gerald Jaskulski, Management and Program Analyst, US Department of Homeland Security and member of the SAFECOM/NCSWIC NG911 Working Group
Pokey Harris, Executive Director, North Carolina 911 Board
Gerry Means, North Carolina NG911 Network Manager

November 2019

Kari’s Law Requirements, New NG911 Resources and 911 Data: What You Need to Know

In 2020, new requirements will go into effect for multi-line telephone systems (MLTS) to direct dial 911, and for MLTS, VoIP and other services to provide “dispatchable location” information. This webinar shares the requirements for Kari’s law and RAY BAUM’s Act and how to prepare before they go into effect.

NG911 is here, and there is a suite of new resources to help your agency, jurisdiction and state make the transition. Learn how to use the NG911 Roadmap, NG911 Readiness Checklist and several resources on 911 data to improve 911 systems.

In this webinar, learn about:

• Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’s Act implementation requirements that must be met in February 2020
• Requirements for providing “dispatchable location” information with 911 calls from MLTS, fixed telephone service, interconnected VoIP services, and telecommunication relay and mobile texting services
• The NG911 Roadmap and the NG911 Readiness Checklist
• Recommended Best Practices for Supplemental 911 Location Data and the strategic plan for improved collection and use of 911 data

Speakers Include:

David Furth, Deputy Chief, Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, Federal Communications Commission
Laurie Flaherty, Coordinator, National 911 Program