The Kentucky 911 Services Board recently entered a contract that will create a data-sharing network meant to benefit central dispatch centers across the state. As part of the “Next Generation 911” technology upgrade, emergency calls can be pinpointed to the person’s location, reducing the number of calls transferred by 90% and saving valuable time.
Owensboro-Daviess County Dispatch 911 Director Paul Nave said one of the biggest issues with 911 calls stems from cell towers that sometimes route emergency calls to the wrong dispatch center.
The issue occurs in certain parts of the city and county more than others — notably near the Ohio River, where cell towers often cause 911 calls to be directed to dispatch centers in Spencer County, Ind.
“Then they have to get the information from the caller and transfer the call over here,” Nave said. “With the National Address Database in place, every state will route calls correctly.”
The system will use coordinates from a person’s phone and will automatically route the information from the caller’s location instead of the nearest cell tower. The upgrade will decrease emergency transfers from one dispatch center to another by 90%, Nave said.
He said every second matters, especially during life-threatening situations such as a heart attack or child drowning incident.
“It will help us exponentially,” Nave said. “There will be a boundary on the river, so it will cover water bodies. If someone makes an emergency call from [a boat on] the Ohio River, the system will give the exact address to dispatch through the use of mile markers on the river.”
Nave said Next Generation 911 was expected to be implemented 10 years ago, but that he was grateful the program was finally coming to fruition. The Rapid SOS technology will coincide with Owensboro-Daviess County Central Dispatch’s Next Generation CAD (Computer-aided dispatch) system that will start being used in November.
Nave hopes the data-sharing network will be put in place over the next 12-24 months. He commended the state government for investing in the program and for recognizing the importance of aiding communities across the Commonwealth.
