John Chiaramonte

National 911 Program

April 14, 2011

With a population exceeding 308 million people in the U.S., we make some 240+ million 911 calls per year to 6,130 public safety answering points (PSAP).

This 40-year old system has not kept pace with advancing communications technologies– Existing infrastructure relies on decades-old, analog

technology– Constant adaptation of legacy 911 is expensive and

slow– 911 is unable to capture benefits of a growing data-

rich environment – Limited ability to share information

• 2006-2009: USDOT-led Next Generation 911 (NG911) Initiative www.its.dot.gov/ng911

– Concept of Operations

– Functional Requirements

– Architecture Analysis

– Proof-of-Concept Demonstration

– Transition Plan

– Analysis of Cost, Value and Risk

– Procurement Tool Kit

An analysis providing insights on migrating to an NG9-1-1 national framework based on an assessment of cost, value, and risk factors.

A traditional “benefit-cost analysis” does nottypically consider values and risks.

• “Value Measuring Methodology (VMM)” Used– Tries to capture the full range of cost and value

provided by a particular alternative while considering project risks that might decrease value or increase cost

– VMM provides a scalable and flexible approach for estimating and analyzing cost, value, and risk and evaluating the relationships among them

– VMM allows the calculation of non-financial value that might not be accounted for in traditional financial metric calculations, which permits a more rigorous comparison of alternative scenarios

– VMM has been cited as a best practice by the CIO Council (www.cio.gov/documents/ValueMeasuring_Methodology_HowToGuide_Oct_2002.pdf)

• The VMM offers a holistic and structured approach for evaluating cost, value, and risk

• NG911 has the potential to provide significantly greater value than current 911 technology during the next 20 years.

This conclusion is based on several trends identified over the course of the value analysis:

– NG911 provides greater opportunities for cost savings, cost avoidance, and increased operational efficiencies than the current 911 environment

– NG911 has greater potential to meet the public’s expectations for accessibility than the current 911 environment

– NG911 has greater scalability and flexibility than the current 911 environment

– NG911 has greater potential to increase public and responder safety through interconnectivity and interoperability than the current 911 environment

• Constant adaptation of legacy 911 is expensive and slow

• Today’s PSAPs increasingly are using outdated and obsolete (proprietary) technology, with increased difficulty (and cost) to maintain

• Inability to receive images, video, text and data from callers

• Limited ability to share information PSAP-to-PSAP or PSAP-to-Responders, or with other emergency services entities (diminished responder safety)

• Limited ability to handle call overflow/congestion control

• PSAPs tied to fixed geographic locations (limiting options for backup or disaster situations)

• Limited (or no) ability to share resources or data

• People with disabilities have been historically underserved by today’s 911

• Today’s funding model is inconsistent across devices (wireline, wireless, VoIP, prepaid wireless) and across jurisdictions (states/locales)

• No nationwide minimum level of service or telecommunicator training standards

• Purpose– Facilitate coordination among public and private

stakeholders at local, state and federal levels

– Serve as an information clearinghouse

– Administer grant program for the benefit of PSAPs

– Provide a Federal focus for 911

• Contact Information– Phone: (202) 366-3485

– Email: nhtsa.national911@dot.gov

– Web: http://911.gov

• Funded Programs and Projects

– Grant Program

• $43M, 29 states/territories, Sept. 2009 – Sept. 2012

– National 911 Assessment Guidelines Working Group

– NG911 Standards Review

– Model State 911 Legislation

– National 911 Resource Center

– National 911 Profile Database

• Chartered by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) www.fcc.gov/pshs/advisory/csric/

• CSRIC Working Group 4B: Transition to NG911

– Determine what changes/additions in 911-related standards and best practices are required for the evolution to NG911, during transition and the longer term

– Consider: technical issues, operational challenges, funding challenges and ways that NG911 technologies can improve 911 access for people with disabilities and non-English speaking communities

• National Broadband Plan (www.broadband.gov)– Recommendation 16.13:

• [USDOT] should prepare a report to identify the costs of deploying a nationwide NG911 System and recommend that Congress allocate public funding.

• Notice of Inquiry (FCC 10-200, December 21, 2010)– FCC sought public input on many aspects of NG911– Topics included:

• NG911 Capabilities and Applications– media types, SMS, applications for persons with disabilities

• NG911 Network Architecture– standards, interoperability, PSAP functions

• Specialized NG911 Applications– device-initiated calls, social media, MLTS

• NG911 Implementation/Transition– disparate capabilities, 911 competition, liability, privacy concerns

• The 9-1-1: The Number to Know™ Campaign was developed by the National 9-1-1 Education Coalition for use by national organizations, state 9-1-1 entities, regional authorities and PSAPs during National 9-1-1 Education Month and National Public Safety Telecommunications Week, both in April. It is also designed to support the coordinated promotion of 9-1-1 education and awareness year-round.

http://know911.org