Group assesses 911 readiness

Even as the facade of public safety was being shattered in New York and Washington last week, the National Emergency Number Association was delivering its report card to the nation on the status and future of 911 emergency services.

NENA, members of Congress, technology companies and public health and safety organizations compose the Report Card to the Nation Commission that delivered the report. Delays in implementing wireless enhanced 911 (E911) services across the country earned the industry a grade of “incomplete.” More important was the failing grade received for the system's ability to meet the public-safety needs of the near future. “We're trying to keep the 911 dialog in its rightful context in deference to everything that has happened, but it was a well-received conference and was a cornerstone day for 911,” said W. Mark Adams, executive director of NENA.

Adams said 911 services were a small part of last week's events, but they may still prompt officials eventually to give the service a new look.

Report card to the nation:  Grading the performance of 911

Quality of service      A- Largely reliable and contains the needed redundancy and security features to handle the current level of 911 calls. American public has a high degree of trust in the effectiveness of 911 and is highly satisfied with current service

Availability     B Widely available to approximately 97.8% of the U.S. population for wireline callers to 911, but some rural counties are underserved

Public awareness and education     B The American public is very aware of 911 and how to use it. The challenge is to reduce the number of non-emergency calls to 911

Wireless     I The FCC grades this aspect as incomplete as wireless 911 deployment must be accelerated. Carriers were supposed to provide location and call-back information to 911 centers according to a mandated schedule that is not being met

Tomorrow     D Must accommodate new technologies, increased competition and other institutional changes at a cost likely to exceed current levels of public funding

Source: NENA

“I don't think the events of this week make people think about new computers or infrastructure for 911, but it may make people more aware of public safety and search and rescue,” Adams said.

Had the location capabilities required for — and currently hindering — the proper implementation of E911 services existed, they would have proved insignificant in last week's tragedy. And location requirements are but one of the challenges facing 911 service in the near future.

Telematics technologies, such as the crash notification systems being installed in cars and other “mayday devices,” are proliferating without conformance to 911 standards. As well as creating interoperability problems, the 20 million devices projected to be on the road by 2005 pose capacity concerns for networks.

However, before the industry can address new technologies, it must address shortcomings in existing technologies.

“We need to stop worrying about getting a bunch of ancillary data [from telematics devices] and concentrate on getting the essential data every time, like location and call-back information,” Adams said. “Let's worry about the augmented stuff — like how much a passenger weighs or whether they were wearing their seatbelt — after we have these other issues solved.”

The other issues are being delayed by a wireless industry that now accounts for 25% of the 190 million 911 calls placed each year. Wireless providers have claimed the technology for deploying E911 is unavailable, and the top six carriers have waivers pending with the FCC to postpone the date for complying with E911 deadlines.

Bill Hinkle, director of the Hamilton County Communications Center in Ohio, told Telephony this August that wireless carriers have had ample opportunity to technology that is reliable. The RCN Commission agrees.

“There are signs that the 911 system has not kept up with the rapid changes in telecommunications technology,” according to the report.

One of those technologies is Internet protocol.

“IP technology exists in different circles, but it does not exist in a 911 capacity,” Adams said. “We think the technology is there — there just hasn't been a migration to it.”

As good as the grades were for existing 911 services, wireline 911 still has shortcomings.

The RCN Commission reports that wireline 911 is available to 97.8% of the U.S. population, yet there are 231 counties across the country without basic 911 services. Because 911 services are funded locally, those without service typically are in poor or rural areas and include Native American lands and even military bases.