WEST CHESTER, PA — The Chester County Department of Emergency Services (DES) announced on Tuesday that it has upgraded its Emergency Communications Center to the Next Generation 9-1-1 system. The new system is part of the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency’s (PEMA) Statewide Emergency Services Internet Protocol Network.
The transition marks a major shift in emergency communications technology, making Chester County one of the first counties in southeastern Pennsylvania to adopt this advanced system, following Berks and Delaware Counties.
Next Generation 9-1-1 offers a faster, more efficient way for the county’s Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), also known as the 9-1-1 call center, to receive and process emergency calls. It also provides increased accuracy in pinpointing the location of callers and allows for seamless transfer of calls and vital caller information to other 9-1-1 centers across the state.
“Next Generation 9-1-1 puts Chester County at the forefront of the latest technology,” said Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Josh Maxwell. He emphasized that the new system offers crucial details about a 9-1-1 caller and allows for better accuracy in determining the location of the caller.
County Commissioner Marian Moskowitz highlighted the significance of PEMA’s Interconnectivity Fund in bringing the best available 9-1-1 technology to support Chester County’s over 5,000 first responders.
Bill Messerschmidt, Director of Chester County’s DES, explained that until now, 9-1-1 calls were routed using infrastructure that is decades old. The Next Generation 9-1-1 infrastructure, however, is a highly secure, redundant fiber-based network that uses Geographic Information System (GIS) map data to locate and deliver calls quickly and accurately.
The new system also prepares Chester County for future 9-1-1 technologies, including the ability to receive multimedia such as photos and videos.
Chester County Commissioner Eric Roe assured that the transition to the new technology was smooth, with no disruption in service or changes in how telecommunicators receive or handle emergency calls.
This upgrade is a crucial step forward in improving emergency services. In a world where every second counts in an emergency, the move to Next Generation 9-1-1 could potentially save lives by providing faster and more accurate responses.
The implications of this shift are vast, from improving the safety and security of Chester County residents to setting a precedent for other counties in Pennsylvania and beyond. As technology continues to evolve, so too does the need for our emergency response systems to keep pace. This move by Chester County represents a significant stride toward that goal.
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