1. NG9-1-1 and the GIS Workflow
Some folks in this room are lucky enough to never have been in a situation where they needed to call “911”. For those who have, in the moment our thoughts don’t often go to a questioning of how this system works? Well, the way this works is changing and you will likely be involved…
For our chat, I’d like to focus on the Who What When Why of the transition to NG911 for legacy e911 systems and the GIS workflow that creates the “magic” between when you dial 911 to when to speak to a dispatcher in the local call center.

2. What, When, Why and How of NG9-1-1
Agenda
What, When, Why and How of NG9-1-1
Case Example: Santa Clara County, CA
Next steps
Sticks and carrots
Are you prepared? 2

3. 3

4. Emergency Call Routing
The Magic
Dial “911”
Speaking to PSAP
Emergency Call Routing
That’s where you all come in –
GIS is the backbone for NG911
More and more you are being called on
to be the source for Addressing & Boundary Data

5. Why Next Generation 911 (NG9-1-1)
“Put simply, NG911 is an Internet Protocol (IP)-based system that allows digital information (e.g., voice, photos, videos, text messages) to flow seamlessly from the public, through the 911 network, and on to emergency responders”. US DOT
AT&T and Verizon have submitted requests to the FCC asking for permission to phase out their analog landline service by 2020
Why Next Gen?
Existing system is over 40 years old
Changing landscape of communication devices
Changing expectations of public
Analog systems becoming under utilized & expensive to manage
Why NG9-1-1?

6. 9-1-1 Myths 9-1-1 is mandated by law and regulated by the FCC
E9-1-1 is regulated at the state level
If you dial 9-1-1, the dispatch center will know exactly where you are
If you call from a landline (traditional wired phone), it is very likely that the PSAP will have your exact location provided to them assuming the ALI database is current.
If you call from a cell phone, it depends on many factors. Some centers can receive lat/long but not all phones deliver them. Some wireless companies try and use the phone’s GPS receiver, but this doesn’t work indoors. Many triangulate the caller’s location using cell tower signals. Non are 100% accurate.
If you call from a VOIP phone the PSAP will receive the address you last registered with the provider.
You can send text messages to 9-1-1
Possibly but not likely; there are a few places in the US that have deployed text-to-911 but it is not wide coverage and you may have to type in your location information. While the FCC has mandated support for text-to-911 by all wireless carriers in the near future, PSAPs have no deadline by which they must implement. In the interim, text messages will receive an automated bounce back message in unsupported areas.
How many know what a MSAG is?
How does it compare to a centerline database?
Introduce the idea of a ESN

7. E911/Legacy Workflow
Location Databases

8. Master Street Address Guide
Typical street centerline attribute table
Master Street Address Guide
FID
PL_ADD_F
PL_ADD_T
PR_ADD_F
PR_ADD_T
PRE_DIR
STREET_NAM
STREET_TYP
CITY_L
CITY_R
ESN_L
ESN_R
503
401
899
400
898 N
10th St
West Monroe 2
1498
2701
2799
2700
2798
5851
1001
1099
1000
1098
7585
2401
2499
2400
2498
7620
2501
2599
2500
2598
8021
901
999
900
998
8124
2601
2699
2600
2698
How many know what a MSAG is?
How does it compare to a centerline database?
Introduce the idea of a ESN DI
STREET
LOW
HIGH
COMM ST
O_E
ESN N
10TH ST
100
1099
WEST MONROE LA
002
2400
2699
Corresponding MSAG features

9. GIS role in NG911 Call Flow
GIS for NG911

10. When: 2020 deadline
9/19/2019

11. NOT A UNFUNDED MANDATE NG911 Now Coalition Goal
By the end of the year 2020, all 911 systems and centers in all 56 states and territories will have sufficiently funded, standards-based, end-to-end, IP-based capabilities, and will have retired legacy 911 systems, without any degradation in service to the public.
Goals are to address gaps and provide recommendations on:
Funding
Technical implementation
Policy and Legislative Challenges
NOT A UNFUNDED MANDATE
FCC Chairman announced to Congress in Feb:
Support for NG911 Now Coalition
Sale of radio spectrum to be sold ($3B)
Earmarked specifically for NG911 with State match.
Why 2020?
ATT submits letter to FCC to end MSAG Service by 2020
9/19/2019

12. Minimum Data Required to Support ECRF/LVF in i3 NG9-1-1 Architecture*
Road Centerlines
PSAP Boundaries
Emergency Services Boundaries
Source: data supplied should come from each jurisdiction that acts as a GIS authority.
Footprint: each PSAP needs access to a seamless, normalized and highly accurate footprint of data from any jurisdiction it shares a boundary with.
Update: new data and data errors should be updated in the GIS within a 3 business day cycle.
Accuracy: Each source entity is responsible for the accuracy (both spatial and attribution) of each dataset. This results in the need for coordination amongst neighboring jurisdictions as there are no allowable gaps, overlaps or redundancies in any of the datasets.
*Address Point data is not required per the NENA NG9-1-1 GIS Data Model but will likely be deemed so by the majority of end-users.

13. Iterative Validation & Clean-Up
Purposeful Order 1
MSAG to
Centerline
Correct anomalies
Shrink MSAG/Centerline?
Boundary
Files 2
PSAP boundary true-up
Emergency Services Boundaries 3
ALI to
GIS
ALI maintenance workflow
Iterative Validation & Clean-Up 4
Validations
Internal
Between Jurisdictions
9/19/2019

14. Master Street Address Guide
Typical street centerline attribute table
Master Street Address Guide
FID
PL_ADD_F
PL_ADD_T
PR_ADD_F
PR_ADD_T
PRE_DIR
STREET_NAM
STREET_TYP
CITY_L
CITY_R
ESN_L
ESN_R
503
401
899
400
898 N
10th St
West Monroe 2
1498
2701
2799
2700
2798
5851
1001
1099
1000
1098
7585
2401
2499
2400
2498
7620
2501
2599
2500
2598
8021
901
999
900
998
8124
2601
2699
2600
2698
City of Newport Beach, CA
33,000 centerline segments
MSAG/Centerline Synchronization
1 FTE and part-time intern
1 year
Had to pass several city ordinances to accommodate needed readdressing
How many know what a MSAG is?
How does it compare to a centerline database?
Introduce the idea of a ESN DI
STREET
LOW
HIGH
COMM ST
O_E
ESN N
10TH ST
100
1099
WEST MONROE LA
002
2400
2699
Corresponding MSAG features

15. Only resolved through close coordination between PS and GIS.
Where to place the PSAP boundary?
Not a Technology Issue !
The GIS is easy.
Only resolved through close coordination between PS and GIS.

16. Impact of PSAP Boundary Placement
A cell call originating in New Albany (ESN 7116) on Morse Rd for a fire at 6295 Morse Rd:
Call will be routed to New Albany 911 Center
The GIS data will show that 6295 is actually in Gahanna PSAP
Call will be transferred to Gahanna 911 center
NG9-1-1 and GIS Worfklow

17. NENA Hamilton County Story
900 no match ALI records when synchronized with GIS
It is recommended that a minimum match rate of 98% be set prior to using the GIS data in the Emergency Routing Data Base (ERDB) or the Location to Service Translation (LoST) Protocol services.
In another example in Hamilton County, TN
The GIS Manager recently shared they had
900 ALI records with no match in the GIS.
All these no-match ALI records
need to be identified and researched by GIS.
This can be hard with unknown addresses when No Answer
NENA Standards call for a 98% match rate.
9/19/2019

18. Data Stewardship Each Data update must be subject to
Centerline Validations
Spatial
Crosses Multiple Polygons
Street pointing in wrong direction
Not in polygon later
Attribution
Address range overlaps
Parity Errors
Address Point Validations
Structure on wrong side of the street
Crosses multiple polygons
Structure out of order
Not in polygon layer
Empty Geometry
Attribute
Not matching street range or street name
Parity error
On wrong block
Out of order
Duplicate point
Boundary Quality Control
PSAP, ESZ, other polygons
Gaps/Overlaps
Attribute Spelling
Database Schemas
Compare and map disparate datasets
Ensure cardinality of attributes
One-to-one mapping with master dataset
Identify missing attributes
Attribute type formatting
Each Data update must be subject to
A thorough validation process
This includes your Addresses
and your Authoritative Boundaries
We use automated tools to give each
a DATA SCORE, like a report card
To measure the quality of the Data

19. What to Fix First? ARC DIRECTIONALITY RANGE CHECK
Range line issues (2)
Point Parity Issues (5)
9/19/2019

20. Big County Example: Santa Clara County
16 GIS and Addressing Authorities
13 primary PSAPs
Shared boundary with 8 other counties
County primary PSAP for all EMS
1 to 1 relationship between City/GIS and Primary PSAP
County dispatches EMS for all*
*exception Palo Alto
All primary PSAPs dispatch their own fire and police
9/19/2019

21. Carrots and Sticks Stick Carrot
NG9-1-1 upgrade will happen…not an option
911 centers will be in a position where duplicate GIS data would need to be procured and maintained if local GIS data can’t work to support 911
GIS data is the ONLY data source option
Carrot
Local GIS growth
The resulting data and roll up capabilities from supporting NG9-1-1 create the infrastructure to add other datasets
Funding from the 911 community will have to be allocated for the data piece in areas where resources are not available or taxed
Access to edge matched, high-quality GIS data from neighboring jurisdictions
Georgia Emergency Telephone Number “911” Service Act of 1977, as amended. This law designates the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA) as the lawful authority for the establishment of any necessary rules and regulations v governing the planning and implementation of 911 emergency telephone systems in Georgia.
9/19/2019

22. Are you prepared to handle the impacts?
Questions to Ask Yourself
Resources to accommodate the data clean-up process and create new needed datasets?
Maintenance Workflows needed to keep data quality at the level for NG911 software and near real-time updates?
Integrated GIS support with emergency communications?
Collaboration with bordering jurisdictions in creating seamless and disparate regional GIS datasets?
Mechanisms to accept frequent updates of neighbors data?

23. Are you prepared to handle the impacts?
Next Steps
Discuss and Identify “rolls” for GIS stewardship
Begin data assessment and clean-up process
Reach out to local and state 911 and GIS stakeholders
education