ECN Connection Point

Minnesota Department of Public Safety sent this bulletin at 04/02/2025 02:38 PM CDT

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department of public safety - emergency communication networks

Connection Point

April Update

Wednesday, April 2, 2025

Welcome to our monthly update, where we highlight the latest developments, initiatives and exciting changes from ECN. This update aims to keep you informed and engaged with what's happening within our team.

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Statewide mapped ALI purchase and MOU

Thank you to those who were able to attend or view the video replay of the recent MOU informational meeting.

ECN has begun the implementation of the statewide purchase of mapped ALI software. We have already contacted some of you to establish your license count and software choices and the remaining PSAPs who have expressed interest will follow shortly.

Once your PSAP provides ECN with this information, ECN will send out the memorandum of understanding for signature. Upon completion, ECN will provide the vendor with your requirements and a point of contact so you can coordinate directly with them to get their product(s) up and running.

This project has provided a tremendous opportunity for local PSAPs to take advantage of statewide resources to improve their emergency services and for ECN to build on existing relationships with our local stakeholders.

911 "It's Your Calling" survey

We are looking for your help in focusing our efforts to support the statewide telecommunicators' recruitment campaign "It's Your Calling".

Your response to this brief survey is greatly appreciated.

988 Lifeline

The state Department of Health manages the Minnesota 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Center program, which funds call centers that provide compassionate and confidential emotional support.

Anyone can call the 988 lifeline during a mental health emergency.

Current 988 Minnesota Lifeline Centers include:

The Minnesota 988 Lifeline Center Coverage Map provides detailed information about each center's coverage area in the state.

Click here for a copy of the flyer.

Text-to-911

Minnesota was a relatively early adopter of statewide text-to-911 capabilities in 2017 and eight years later are still one of the leading states. We are very fortunate to have such a high level of service here in Minnesota and that is something to recognize and celebrate!

Text to talk is important because:

Accessibility: Texting is crucial for those who are deaf, hard of hearing or have difficulties in communicating.
Safety: Provides an option to reach 911 in situation where speaking could be dangerous.
Reliability: When voice calls fail due to poor coverage or service text might be an alternative option.

Remember: "Call if you can, text if you can't."

For more information, visit our website.

Did you know?

PSAPs across the state answered 2.8 million 911 calls in 2024.
The 2025 statewide tornado drills are scheduled for Thursday, April 10 at 1:45 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. CDT.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (NPSTW) is April 13-19, 2025.

Get to know your ECN

Billie Lebold joined the ECN 911 Program team in September 2023 and has been thoroughly enjoying the variety of systems, workflows, and technologies we use. She finds that one of the most rewarding parts of her role is building relationships with colleagues, stakeholders, and vendors while working on projects that make a real difference in improving Minnesota’s 911 system.

As part of the ECN finance team, Billie manages vendor procurement and contracts while also supporting financial reconciliation, billing, and reporting for leadership. Her role comes with a mix of challenges and opportunities, which keeps things interesting!

“I genuinely enjoy collaborating with team members, leadership, stakeholders, and the broader community. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any operational questions!”

Billie Lobold, 911 Business Analyst, billie.lebold@state.mn.us