How participation in the National 911 Profile Database matters to PSAPs nationwide
NASNA encourages state and local 911 leaders nationwide to help address 911 needs by sharing State 911 statistics through the national database. As of now, 33 states and territories have either submitted or are in the process of submitting system information to the database to provide more information about the state of 911 across our country. Additional states have expressed intentions to submit data soon, as well. This is a significant increase in participation over previous annual data-collection efforts.
We understand, however, that many states and territories face significant challenges in collecting 911 system information. Some are understaffed or don’t have the resources needed to collect such data, while others lack the legal authority at the state level to require data collection and submission. Finally, some states don’t have a 911 administrator position within the governance structure, making data collection at a state level impossible.
As nationwide data collection gains momentum and support within the 911 community, it is important to know that every data point collected and shared moves this effort forward. And participation in the National 911 Profile Database is a worthy cause. It’s our expectation that better 911 system data will help us better serve our communities, our local leadership, and the telecommunicators who answer 911 calls each day.
NASNA board members and our executive director, together with the National 911 Program, encourage the 911 community to consider the value of 911 system data collection and to join this national effort to better understand 911’s progress across the nation and help move 911 services into the next generation of public safety.
Harriet Miller-Brown is president of the National Association of State 911 Administrators.