https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • Product Guides
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookie Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
    • Product Guides
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Urgent Matters


Commentary

Proposed 911 data program could be a lifesaver

Proposed 911 data program could be a lifesaver

Every PSAP nationwide would be outfitted with a "black box" that would generate unprecedented data, under NENA plan.
  • Written by
  • 23rd October 2012

Last week, I wrote about the problems the 911 sector is having with unintended calls known as "pocket dials," or more colloquially, "butt dials." Such calls are a big nuisance for public-safety answering points (PSAPs).

Older wireless phones provided the user with one-button, speed-dialing functionality. Many of those users assigned a button to 911. When they put their phone in their back pockets and then sat down — voila! — butt dial. Sometimes those older phones were given to children as surrogate toys and — well, you know what happened next.

When I spoke with Brian Fontes and Trey Fogerty of the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) last week about this problem, they talked about how increased education regarding the proper use of a wireless phone — starting at a very early age, when the lesson is most likely to stick — would help, as would technology advances that provide multilayer protections.

But what the sector needs most is more hard data to understand non-emergency 911 calls, whether they are intended or unintended. According to Fontes and Fogerty, NENA is on the cusp of providing it. The association has been working quietly during the past 18 months on a program that it ultimately hopes will result in inexpensive "black boxes" being installed in every PSAP nationwide. The devices would capture 911 call data virtually instantaneously — data that can be analyzed to present a much clearer picture of what actually happens in PSAPs.

"Within six seconds of a call's termination, that call's data gets added to the pile, and the PSAP would have access to valuable information," Fogerty said. "Like, are they meeting the ring-time standards, are they answering 90% of all calls in under 10 seconds, and 95% in under 20 [seconds]?"

NENA envisions that PSAPS and government entities will be able to slice the data in a variety of useful ways. For instance, they could drill down to learn the number and percentage of emergency calls that require a police or fire/EMS response; how many require a small fire apparatus or a large apparatus; or how many require a medical-evacuation helicopter. At the municipal or state level, the data could be crunched to determine which PSAPs are overwhelmed.

A particularly important capability concerns anomaly detection, Fogerty said.

"Perhaps they see a spike in calls — or a drop in calls — in a certain area at a particular time, and they don't normally see that" Fogerty said. "So, that's something they would want to take a look at."

Each black box is expected to cost about $1,000. So, with about 6,000 PSAPs nationwide, the total investment would be in the neighborhood of $6 million — not exactly the high-rent district for a nationwide program. Despite the relatively modest investment, NENA hopes that PSAPs would be able to defray the cost through some combination of federal grants.

According to Fontes, the data will "move the needle" in terms of how the 911 sector interacts with state and local government officials.

"Everyone assumes that 911 always is going to be there," Fontes said. "And everyone knows that each 911 call is important, regardless of whether it's a butt call, or a serious, legitimate emergency call … But they don't have any valuation of that importance."

On that note, the data is expected to provide ample evidence of how even a small change to PSAP operations and procedures could result in a profound difference in the 911 sector's ability to help save lives. As an example, Fogerty pointed to sudden cardiac arrest, calling it perhaps the best-understood emergency medical issue. He said that physicians are well aware that a "clear, linear mathematical relationship" exists between how long it takes for the victim to receive treatment after the onset of the event and the victim's likelihood of survival.

"So, once you have information on the amount of ring time for 911 calls, the length of time before help is dispatched, and the amount of time before help arrives, it is trivial to build a calculator that would tell you — given the population demographics — whether adding another call-taker would reduce ring times enough to justify the cost," Fogerty said.

Maybe it's because I'm on the dark side of 50 and carrying an extra 25 pounds — or so — but I am rooting for NENA to find the money for this project. Even if this data saves only one life in every jurisdiction, wouldn't it be worth the thousand bucks? I believe that's what they call a rhetorical question.

What do you think? Tell us in the comment box below.

Tags: Data PSAP Analytics Commentary NENA Public Safety Urgent Matters Commentary

Most Recent


  • Cybercrime ecosystem spawns lucrative underground Gig Economy
    Over a 30-month period, cybercriminal gangs and threat groups posted more than 200,000 advertisements seeking workers with skills in software development, maintaining IT infrastructure, and designing fraudulent sites and email campaigns. The demand for technically skilled individuals continues, but it peaked during the coronavirus pandemic, with double the average job advertisements coming during March 2020, […]
  • FAA approves beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights in North Dakota
    The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) avionics company uAvionix received Federal Aviation Administration approval to conduct advanced beyond visual line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights of small UAVs in North Dakota.  The flights will be conducted at the Northern Plains Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Test Site (NPUASTS) in Grand Forks, one of seven FAA-run UAV test sites in the U.S., using […]
  • AT&T boasts of core 'white box' success in 5G, fiber push
    AT&T said it has now migrated more than 52% of all of its production traffic onto next-generation “white box” core routers running on products from the likes of Broadcom and DriveNets. The company said its move to such “open” systems has helped its aggressive 5G and fiber expansions. “We announced the next-gen open disaggregated core routing […]
  • Spending American Rescue Plan Act funds: A primer for municipalities
    The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 is a $1.9 trillion legislative package that includes funding for states, local governments and tribal nations to respond to the economic and public health impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. While initially restricted, subsequent guidance from the federal government has expanded what those funds can be used for. […]

Related Content

Commentary


How 5G is making cities safer, smarter, and more efficient

26th January 2023

3GPP moves Release 18 freeze date to March 2024

18th January 2023

Do smart cities make safer cities?

  • 1
6th January 2023
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Cybercrime ecosystem spawns lucrative underground Gig Economy dlvr.it/ShkKbf

31st January 2023
UrgentComm

FAA approves beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flights in North Dakota dlvr.it/ShgxHW

30th January 2023
UrgentComm

AT&T boasts of core ‘white box’ success in 5G, fiber push dlvr.it/Shgb4w

30th January 2023
UrgentComm

Spending American Rescue Plan Act funds: A primer for municipalities dlvr.it/ShgZ52

30th January 2023
UrgentComm

AT&T wireless growth keyed by FirstNet—now provides 24,000 agencies with 4.4 million connections dlvr.it/ShY5qH

27th January 2023
UrgentComm

Report: Remote work causing offices to empty, but walkable cities still in high demand dlvr.it/ShXM7Z

27th January 2023
UrgentComm

AT&T FirstNet unleashes robotic dogs for emergency services dlvr.it/ShW7p8

27th January 2023
UrgentComm

Federal agencies infested by cyberattackers via legit remote-management systems dlvr.it/ShVhn3

26th January 2023

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2023 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.