1. The U.S. Department of Transportation 9-1-1 and the Next Generation
Jenny Hansen, Contractor – NG9-1-1 Project Coordinator
USDOT/NHTSA

2. Overview Emergency Medical Services (EMS) and 9-1-1 at DOT
Secretarial Wireless E9-1-1 Initiative
Next Generation Initiative
National Office

3. 9-1-1, EMS and DOT Highway Safety Act of 1966
9-1-1 as part of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) system
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Office of EMS: Federal EMS Lead Agency

4. Wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 (WE9-1-1) Initiative
Secretary of Transportation Norman Y. Mineta:
Convened a Wireless E9-1-1 Stakeholder Summit in April 2002
Accelerating the deployment of wireless E9-1-1
National leadership and attention to the WE9-1-1 issue

5. WE9-1-1 Initiative: Accomplishments
Priority Action Plan
Product of Steering Council and Expert Working Group
Technical Assistance Products for PSAPs
Clearinghouse; videos; PSAP survey and database
Produced under contract with NENA
Technology Innovation Roundtable
Reexamination of WE9-1-1 technological approaches
Led to Next Generation Initiative

6. NG9-1-1 Project: An Impact Statement

7. NG9-1-1 Project Today’s 9-1-1 Next Generation 9-1-1
Virtually all calls are voice callers via telephones over analog lines.
Voice, text, or video information, from many types of communication devices, sent over IP networks
Data transferred via voice
Advanced data sharing is automatically performed
Callers manually routed through legacy selective routers, limited forwarding / backup ability
Physical location of PSAP becomes immaterial, callers routed automatically based on geographic location, enhanced backup abilities
Limited ability to handle overflow situations, callers could receive a busy signal
PSAPs able to control call congestion treatment, including dynamically rerouting callers
Laurie

8. Consensus within the 9-1-1 Community
Capitalize on advances in technologies that provide:
Quicker and more accurate information to responders
Better and more useful forms of information
More flexible, secure and robust PSAP operations
Lower capital and operating costs
The FCC NRIC VII effort is an example. Also consistent with recommendations coming out of public safety associations and similar bodies concerned with emergency communications standards. These associations foresee the convergence of data, voice, text, and video networks, based on ubiquitous packet transports and using standard Internet Protocols.
The emergency services networks will evolve beyond simply providing interfaces to PSAPs.  These networks will bridge together PSAPs, emergency service providers, jurisdictional oversight, management functions and others. 

9. NG9-1-1 Project: The Goal Long Term Goal: Major Milestones:
To design a system that enables the transmission of voice, data or video from different types of communication devices to the Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and onto emergency responder networks.
Major Milestones:
National architecture and high-level design for NG9-1-1 System
Proof of Concept
Transition plan for NG9-1-1 implementation

10. NG9-1-1 Project: Program Plan
Engage stakeholders
Public and Private Agencies
Create Partnerships
Connecting the Dots
Establish the vision
National Architecture (Internetwork)
Define the future
Collaboration
Shared Systems
Full Autonomy at the Local Level
Robust Network
Continuity of Operations

11. NG9-1-1 Initiative: Design Assumptions
Access to emergency services will occur within a broader array of interconnected emergency networks
The system must support the transmission of voice, text, images and other data from all types of communication devices
Will build on existing IP-based functionality already inherent in the Internet and similar packet-based infrastructure
Will require new emergency response network architecture to be designed, along with new and modified standards
This is a fundamental re-examination of the technological approach to Will be accomplished based on stakeholder input to lay out the system architecture and figure out how to deploy (NOT a deployment project That’s later).
The Initiative, and the work that follows, will test and confirm these assumptions.

12. NG9-1-1 Initiative: Considerations
The ability to generate and communicate new data and information about an event
More effective incident management
Safer First Responders
Fault tolerant, flexible infrastructure in place to support flow of multi-media forms of data and information from and to all types of devices
Note: this is NOT a typical ITS project (the stakeholders are different; the deployment scope and responsibilities are different than in ITS). But on the other hand, is NOT new to NHTSA . . .
Pithier vision: “9-1-1 calls from any device.” (Would include crash data, pictures, video, records from other databases Not possible with today’s system)
The Next Generation provides greater capacity, more flexibility and improved overall communications and transmission of information. This is not limited to the call. This could impact a variety of other ITS initiatives including, for instance, emergency response, weather and others.
Deals with ACN/telematics issue of moving medically relevant data to hospitals; deals with Hazmat security alert TO or FROM commercial motor carriers or rail carriers; should facilitate the public safety/public safety and public safety/transportation communications interoperability.
Why this activity is important, and what will happen if this activity is not undertaken? Unless there is federal leadership, local and state agencies will continue to develop stove-piped systems on outmoded technology.
This has great impact on ITS development and deployment throughout the country.

13. NG9-1-1 Project: The Future of 9-1-1
What will NG9-1-1 do for me?
Equal access
Mobility
Resiliency
Public Safety

14. NG9-1-1 Project: Current Activity
Finalize Concept of Operations document
High-Level Requirements (review of existing documentation and team-wide meetings)
Monitor Key Standards Development Organizations (SDOs) meetings for discussions with potential system design impacts
Host SDO Coordination Workshop: April 10 – 12, 2007
Preliminary transition planning / benefit cost analysis
Laurie

15. NG9-1-1 Project: Overview
The Booz Allen Hamilton team (NENA , Kimball, and Texas A&M University) have been contracted to develop and validate requirements for NG9-1-1, define a system architecture, and develop a transition plan that considers responsibilities, costs, schedule, and benefits for deploying IP-based emergency services across America. The following tasks are included:
Task 1: System Architecture Development
Revision of the Concept of Operations (ConOps)
Definition of functional requirements / high-level architectural design
Task 2 / 4: Transition Analysis
Estimation of the NG9-1-1 benefits and costs
Identification of critical system deployment issues
Development of plan for transitioning from today’s to NG9-1-1
Task 3: Design and Demonstration of “Proof-of-Concept”
Design, development, and demonstration “Proof-of-Concept” system
Camilla

16. NG9-1-1 Project: The Approach

17. NG9-1-1 Project: Team Members
Booz Allen Hamilton
Leading technology and management consulting company
Experience in supporting far-reaching public safety communications efforts
National Emergency Number Association
Team of experts with direct NG9-1-1 experience and knowledge
L. Robert Kimball & Associates
Leader in design and implementation of E9-1-1 / IP-based E9-1-1 systems
Relevant technical expertise and domain knowledge of public safety operations
Texas A&M University Internet2 Technology Evaluation Center
Developer of a prototype of the NG9-1-1 system
Camilla

18. National 9-1-1 Office ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (PL 108-494)
Federal 9‑1‑1 responsibilities:
Formal program and policy coordination across federal agencies.
Federal funding support to PSAPs and related state and local agencies for E9‑1‑1 deployment and operations.

19. ENHANCE 911 Act (PL )
Requires NHTSA and NTIA to coordinate on (FCC and DHS)
Create an E9‑1‑1 Implementation Coordination Office (ICO)
Establish a joint program to facilitate coordination and communication
DOT is authorized up to $250 million per year for five years for the grant program (no funds appropriated)

20. NG9-1-1: It’s Not Just Telephones Anymore
Would You Like to be Added to the Distribution List?
Do You Have Any Questions?
Do You Have Best Practices to Share?
Jenny Hansen