properly resourced emergency calling -...
TRANSCRIPT
Properly Resourced Emergency Calling
The Public’s First Access to Response
Presenters
George Rice
Executive Director
iCERT
John Melcher David Jones
Board Member, iCERT Policy Committee Member, iCERT
President and CEO Vice President
The Melcher Group Mission Critical Partners
iCERT 101
George Rice
Executive Director
iCERT
Commercial sector enterprises serving
the emergency communications and
response field
Premise:
business leaders’ expertise can assist public
policymakers and government emergency
communications professionals as they
address complex choices regarding
advanced communications technology
alternatives
Core Initiatives
Advocacy for Emergency Calling & Communications Resources & Technology Development
Credible and Value-added Research
Convening Key Leaders
Examining Burgeoning Issues and Technologies
Global Perspective
How 9-1-1 Works
David Jones
Policy Committee Member, iCERT
Vice President
Mission Critical Partners
45 years of 9-1-1
1970s Basic
1980s Enhanced
1990s Wireless
2000s VoIP
2010s NextGen
Funding 9-1-1
Surcharge model
Evolution of technology did not
always include tie to funding
Raids and diversions
Funding NG9-1-1
Maintaining legacy E9-1-1
systems during the transition
Changing the funding paradigm
in an NG9-1-1 world
Ongoing Concerns
— 9-1-1 surcharge revenues appropriately and accurately collected (CLEC’s, Pre-Paid Wireless, etc.)
— 9-1-1 surcharge revenues properly allocated (unallocated surcharge monies used to balance budgets)
Funding 9-1-1
Funding 9-1-1
Ongoing Concerns (cont’d)
9-1-1 surcharge revenues used for something other than their intended (and promised) purpose
Pressure on 9-1-1 surcharge revenues creating pressures on general funds (particularly at the local government level)
Emergency Communications/9-1-1 competing against other Public Safety priorities for GF dollars
Funding 9-1-1
Response to Budget Pressures
Timing of movement towards NG9-1-1 may be questioned –
and impacted
Sharing of services (formerly the bad word of
“consolidation”
Some recognize that status quo cannot be sustained with
existing model for emergency communications
Improvement with operational efficiencies (better
service)
Potential savings with capital investment (technology)
Renewed focus on training and quality improvement
Funding 9-1-1
Response to Budget Pressures (cont’d)
Zero Personnel (FTE) Increase – even reduction-
in-force
Coupled with increasing call volume (often
correlated to population growth)
Added pressure to keep “doing more with less”
Ever more pressure to accommodate “public
expectations” of the respective jurisdiction(s)
How to Preserve
This Vital Service
George Rice
iCERT Executive Director
Overview: Targeted States Campaign
Resource Campaign Objective:
Increase attention on, and educate key stakeholders about, the issue of resource needs for emergency calling and communications nationwide – to include public safety broadband - and to recruit lawmakers and regulators as advocates for a multi-faceted national solution.
Campaign Tag: Properly Resourced Emergency Calling: Your First Access to Response
Preview - 2013:
9-1-1/Comm Spending
As a % of total overall justice, public
safety and homeland security IT
spending in states:
FY 2011-47%
FY 2012-37%
FY 2013-29%
Call To Action
John Melcher
Board Member, iCERT
President and CEO
The Melcher Group
A State-based Template for
Preservation of Funding
Unlocking and reinstating funding
State legislative appropriations processes and
funding of 9-1-1
Frozen funds and balanced budget requirements
Compelling 100% appropriation of collected
revenue
Benefits & Outcomes of
Properly Resourced
Emergency Calling
No missed calls to 9-1-1
Timely and effective dispatch of appropriate live
saving services
Greater constituent confidence in the service
Greater support for first-responders in the field
Enhanced public safety; less loss of life and
property
All helps to foster a flourishing local economy!
Example: Texas
Issue:
Collected surcharges have not been fully
appropriated by the legislature for years in
order to help balance the state’s budget
resulting in annual budget shortfalls for 9-
1-1 agencies and ~ $150M in a slush fund
that citizens thought was being spent on
upgrades.
A Call to Action
Be aware and raise awareness
Know the resource challenges faced by the
emergency calling centers in your area
Reach out to your local, regional and state 9-1-1
directors
Share insights and information with other
jurisdictions in your region
Be an advocate for effective resourcing of
emergency calling
…….iCERT can help!
Resources iCERT Publications http://www.theindustrycouncil.org/publications/index.cfm
Others:
National 9-1-1 Program
www.911.gov
Federal Communications Commission
http://transition.fcc.gov/pshs/services/911-services/
National Emergency Number Association
www.nena.org
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials
www.apcointl.org
Contact www.theindustrycouncil.org
George Rice
Executive Director
+001 240-398-3065
PO Box 42563
Washington, DC 20015-2604