Top 5 stories: Week of June 27-July 3

By Stephanie Toone-Martin

Here’s a look at the most popular stories on IWCE’s Urgent Communications last week:

1. “Next-gen 911 requires new funding model, greater federal-government role, NENA’s Fontes says”—A change in funding models will ensure 911 centers across the country can deploy Public-Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) through next-generation 911, according to National Emergency Number Association CEO Brian Fontes. This article gives perspective on 911 funding needs greater federal involvement to ensure that similar emergency-calling services are available throughout the nation. “We must have next-generation 911 supported 100%, because—in reality—this is a partnership,” Fontes told IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “The public has already made a substantial investment in technology that they have at their fingertips that would enable pushing information through to public safety, but there doesn’t seem to be that same investment on the public-safety side by the communities, states and federal government to ensure that these FirstNet/next-generation911systems have the capability of being fully funded and have the funding for operations, once they are built.”
2. “Next-gen 911, FirstNet need to interoperate effectively and efficiently, NENA official says”—IP-based next-generation 911 systems should operate cohesively. FirstNet representatives have been receptive to that notion, and 911 officials should work to ensure this vision becomes reality, according to a National Emergency Number Association (NENA) official. Trey Forgety, NENA’s director of government affairs and NENA’s representative on FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), said that a myriad interfaces should be coordinated, such as the voice codecs used for FirstNet voice offerings.
3. “National 911 Progress Report: Tracking progress toward next-generation 911”—Significant progress toward the implementation of next-generation 911 (NG911) is occurring in states and counties across the nation, according to findings in the current National 911 Progress Report. Harriet Miller-Brown, president of the National Association of State 911 Administrators, writes about the results, which shows, for example, that five states have 100% of their 911 services are supported by an IP network.
4. “Cybersecurity: Believe it or not, the buck should stop at the U.S. Coast Guard”—Guest columnist James Norton applauds the U.S. Coast Guard for its leadership in developing a complex cyber strategy outlining the framework for combating cyber threats in the wake of the recent cyber attack on the Office of Personnel Management.
5. “Airbus DS Communications announces integrated VESTA test-to-911 functionality, available in fall” – Public-safety answering points (PSAPs) using the VESTA 911 platform from Airbus DS Communications soon will be able to receive SMS emergency text messages via a new offering that is integrated into the 911 system, according to Airbus DS Communications CEO Bob Freinberg. “That’s a big deal, because, with that happening, we anticipate a heck of a lot of customers finally being able to handle SMS in the way that I think most envisioned,” Freinberg said.