When someone calls 9-1-1 during an emergency, every second matters. Oregon’s transition to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) is focused on helping ensure emergency calls are delivered more accurately, reliably, and efficiently to the right Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) — the 9-1-1 center responsible for dispatching emergency responders.

For the public, the way they dial 9-1-1 will not change. People will still call 9-1-1 the same way they do today. What is changing is the technology working behind the scenes to help connect callers to the right emergency dispatch center faster and more accurately.

One of the biggest advancements with NG9-1-1 is the use of Geographic Information System (GIS) data to help route emergency calls based on precise geographic location. Prior to NG9-1-1, emergency call routing systems were not designed to geospatially route calls using detailed mapping data. Instead, calls were often routed primarily based on cell tower coverage areas and older legacy systems.

Cell towers do not recognize county lines, rivers, or jurisdictional boundaries. For example, someone in Hood River may connect to a cell tower located across a river or in a neighboring jurisdiction, which can sometimes result in calls initially reaching the wrong 9-1-1 center. That can require transfers between dispatch centers and may delay response times during critical emergencies.

NG9-1-1 helps address these challenges by using GIS data and spatial call routing technology to more accurately determine where a caller is located and route the call to the correct PSAP serving that area.

This modernization effort also improves the resiliency and interoperability of Oregon’s emergency communications system. Oregon is home to 40 Public Safety Answering Points serving all 36 counties across the state. NG9-1-1 helps strengthen the ability of those centers to coordinate and support one another during emergencies, disasters, outages, or periods of high call volume.

Additional upgrades associated with NG9-1-1 include:

• Improved location accuracy for wireless callers

• Enhanced system resiliency and redundancy

• Better interoperability between emergency communication centers

• More reliable call routing during outages or disasters

• A future-ready platform capable of supporting evolving communication technologies

To support this transition, the Oregon Department of Emergency Management is working closely with local Public Safety Answering Points across the state on GIS readiness, network readiness, facility preparedness, and the modernization of phone systems, hardware, and software needed to support NG9-1-1 services.

NG9-1-1 represents a major investment in Oregon’s emergency communications future — helping ensure that when Oregonians call 9-1-1, their call reaches the right place as quickly and accurately as possible.