911 system getting a digital upgrade; video, pictures and text for the future
FREMONT – The Sandusky County 911 system has taken a first $400,000 step in changing to a digital roving next generation system.
Lisa Kuelling, director of the Sandusky County Emergency Management Agency, 911 System, and county Homeland Security.
“For the next year, the biggest job we will do is moving Sandusky County to the Next Gen 911 system,” Kuelling said. “We just got all the new Ohio Revised Codes. We are implementing everything.”
She said that the current E911 system still operates, nationwide, on the original concept.
The state is mandating that the change be completed in five years, but Sandusky County purchased the bulk of the 911 center equipment, at a cost of $400,000.
“Across the country, they were built on dialing 9-1-1 from a fixed address point. E911 is going to be moving forward, as technology has moved forward, so all the counties in Ohio will be moving from E911 to Next Gen 911, which will be dialing 911 from, almost, a moving target…It’s all going to be based on mapping, not house address,” Kuelling said. “You will be able to dial 911 from a cell phone, a laptop, your tablet. You could be moving when you dial 911. So we need to progress forward with the way technology has moved. Honestly, that is going to be the biggest thing on our docket this year.”
As part of the basis for the NG911 system upgrade, it will be changed from an analog system to digital. In addition to being a faster and more reliable infrastructure, it will allow the sharing of videos, images and text messages, with the 911 centers.
That new OARnet digital network operating system is being built on top of new fiber optic infrastructure, for the new statewide Ohio Emergency Services IP Network (ESINet).
Kuelling said that Gov. Mike DeWine authorized, and funded, the change to NG911, when he signed House Bill 33 last July.
“House Bill 33, put $46 million into the Next Gen 911 budget, and that is for the state to do everything they need to do on their end for NextGen911, and then run that connectivity back through the OARnet, to connect us to the state for 911,” Kuelling explained. “Two years ago, when we upgraded our system, we bought a NG911 compliant system, to be fiscally responsible. So, we didn’t have to buy equipment twice.”
She said that they will likely have to buy some additional parts, as the new statewide system is rolled out, but the main system is able to be used, as it’s already compliant.
The $400,000 upgrade, from two years ago, was done at the same time as other upgrades that will also be compliant, including a recording system, the radio consoles.
Those recordings are often used by juries, prosecutors, and judges. Now that recording of radio traffic will be clear.
“They work together with the county’s (Computer Automated Dispatch) system, which is what is in all the cruisers, EMS squads, the fire trucks. The 911 system and the CAD system all have to work together,” Kuelling explained.
She gave some details about how they will have to hurry up, and then wait.
Full compliance is required within five years, but she said the OARnet is supposed to be done by the end of this year, and already having the compliant system will make it quicker. She is hoping to be done with the first two years, but it’s dependent on the OARnet system.
Kuelling explained what it means to run the 911 system.
“Functioning to make sure 911 services are operating correctly in Sandusky County, is what we do, in a nutshell,” Kuelling said. “We oversee all the hardware, software, making sure we’re within all the standards of the Ohio Revised Code and how 911 call handling is taken care of. We also make sure all the sheriff’s dispatchers have all their continuing education for the year, because they have so many hours of continuing ed they have to do each year. Public record requests, that all comes through our office.”
In Sandusky County, the Sheriff’s dispatch system is also linked with the Fremont Police system. Most emergency service dispatch systems are not that closely linked, but Kuelling gave a bit of description and timeline for the upgrades.
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This article originally appeared on Fremont News-Messenger: Sandusky County 911 on course for digital upgrade
