Gasconade County first to install new Next Generation 911 system
HERMANN, Mo. (KMIZ)
Dialing the number 911 instead of a seven-digit number for emergencies started in Gasconade County in 1995 and the county is now implementing a new system to better connect callers to first responders in emergencies.
The new system, called Next Generation 911, was created by ATT and will replace the decades-old 911 analog infrastructure. NG911 uses IP addresses from callers and sends the location to dispatch quicker and allows the caller to send photos and videos as well.
Lisa Thacker, director of Gasconade 911, said the system was installed on June 13 and has been working well for dispatchers.
"It's been working great, the location is better," Thacker said. "Most of the time it just pinpoints exactly where the phone is calling from.
"There many times, especially if there's a vehicle accident or something and they're [the caller] disoriented and they can't tell you where they were at or where they were driving. Having this, I mean, it's the difference between life and death sometimes."
Next Generation 911 is an AT&T product. Project manager Mike Guerra says the goal of the system is to modernize the decades-old infrastructure of the 911 phone system. Everything you are able to send your friends and family, you can also share with dispatchers.
"All those things that we take for granted that allow us to communicate effectively with family and friends, we wanted to enable to a 911 agent and obviously the reason why you do that is to reduce response time, make those 911 agents more effective," said Guerra.
Guerra said by allowing photo sending and location-based finding, emergency responders can use situational awareness.
"You can start to give information real-time to whoever, you know, whether it's the police or the fire department, on how they should approach the scene."
Guerra used an example of a house fire to explain situational responses. He said if there is a house fire and the caller sends a picture or video, dispatchers and first responders can see it and make judgment calls based on things like weather, traffic, staging personnel and more.
According to a Facebook post from Missouri 911, 13 counties in southeast Missouri are expected to get an NG911 system update by the end of the year, including Dent, Shannon, Oregon, Carter, Ripley, Perry, Bollinger, Madison, Wayne, Reynolds, St. Francois, St. Genevieve and Iron County.
The system is being funded by the Missouri 911 Services Board Grant opportunity.
Thacker said Gasconade County 911 chose to use the new technology for the better of the community.
"we are driven to just take advantage of, you know, any next technology that comes out, or resources we can have, or training that's out there to make us better here," Thacker said. "We just care about people and about the community, and that's the honest truth."
