(WXYZ) — Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard is calling on Congress to fund "Next Generation 9-1-1" to mark the end of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
Next Generation 9-1-1 would enable call centers to receive multimedia data from callers. This would allow 9-1-1 operators to easily send that information to other 9-1-1 centers and first responders in real-time.
The advanced technology would make response time faster and more efficient.
“Our 9-1-1 system is the most critical of critical infrastructure, yet these systems are operating with technology that is over 50 years old,” Bouchard said. “Individuals can send photos to each other and video chat, but during emergencies, these capabilities can’t be utilized to communicate with 9-1-1 centers. It is imperative that Congress step up and take the initiative to appropriate the funds necessary to update these systems across the nation. It will save lives.”
Federal funding would be required for Next Generation 9-1-1 to be deployed nationwide.
