Celebrating Telecommunicators Series: Evolving Technology in Emergency Communications Centers

As CISA continues to celebrate National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) and Emergency Communications Month, this is an opportunity to recognize public safety telecommunicators and their dedication, hard work, and commitment to excellence. CISA salutes these professionals and honors the work they do every day.

Emergency Communication Centers (ECCs) are at different stages in the transition to NG911. Technological developments and the evolving 911 environment have changed the way telecommunicators handle emergency and non-emergency calls. The changes across the 911 landscape have required ECCs to modify their operations while also supporting their staff through growing roles and responsibilities.

SAFECOM and the National Council of Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (NCSWIC) recently published the Preparing for Technological Transformation in ECCs document to help ECCs prepare for new technologies. The document highlights how ECCs can use emerging tools and technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), remote dispatching, and integrated cloud technologies to supplement staffing, enhance data sharing, and improve delivery of critical emergency services. The document also provide links to available resources that ECCs can use to enhance their center’s operations in all phases of transition to NG911.

ECC administrators can also use the SAFECOM/NCSWIC NG911 Incident-Related Imagery Impacts 101 document to establish data management policies and procedures, assess training and educational requirements, support staff wellness and assess recruitment and retention policies. CISA encourages ECCs to revisit this document as they began implementing multimedia in their centers.

It is an honor to celebrate our nation’s public safety telecommunicators and CISA is grateful for its partnership with the 911 community. Visit us at National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week to see how CISA is celebrating NPSTW. We also encourage you to follow CISA throughout the month as it celebrates Emergency Communications Month. You can follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.  

For additional SAFECOM and NCSWIC 911 and NG911 resources, visit the SAFECOM 911/NG911 Webpage or email ng911wg@cisa.dhs.gov.