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Thank you to everyone who joined us for the NG911 collaboration events last month. We greatly appreciate your time, perspective and thoughtful input, which will help shape Minnesota’s NG911 strategic plan. We expect to release the plan this fall.
Key themes from the feedback included:
- Existing vs. new technology, interoperability, maintenance and upkeep
- Operational challenges such as monitor overload and increased distractions
- More technology and IT support
- GIS upkeep and consistency of GIS records statewide
- Mental health issues related to seeing graphic photos and videos
- Training needs
- Funding concerns
- Timelines and checklists for the transition
We are committed to building an NG911 system that addresses these concerns and works for everyone, no matter where you work in the state. Do not hesitate to reach out to ECN with any additional feedback or questions at ecn@state.mn.us.
 Participants at an NG911 collaboration event in June
ECN staff recently attended both the National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) and National Emergency Number Association (NENA) conferences. A key takeaway from both conferences is that Minnesota's NG911 progress is right on track with most other states.
Staff learned how emerging technology will ultimately simplify the telecommunicator experience. Several sessions focused on creating a “single pane of glass” for telecommunicators, reducing the need to manage multiple screens and systems while improving accessibility, efficiency and retention.
Federal updates, including Federal Communications Commission activity, legislation, the federal NG911 cost study and cybersecurity lessons from PSAPs across the country, reinforced that this work is both local and national in scope.
Cyberattacks are an increasingly common reality for PSAPs across the country. While no system is completely risk-free, strong cybersecurity practices can help reduce vulnerabilities and protect critical 911 services.
Use these tips to help protect your systems:
- Keep firewalls up to date and patched for known vulnerabilities.
- Keep all software up to date.
- Turn on multifactor authentication.
- Use strong passwords.
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Washington County PSAP Manager Dar Pankonie has been elected second vice president of NENA's 2027 Board of Directors. Congratulations, Dar!
 Dar Pankonie being sworn in to NENA's board of directors
As a reminder, calendar year 2027 will be the final year of ECN-hosted and ECN-managed Mapped ALI for PSAPs. Beginning on January 1, 2028, agencies who wish to continue this application will need to assume local funding, procurement and implementation responsibility of the service. Negotiated pricing for Mapped ALI services is expected to remain available through the state’s N-21 contract release.
The final enrollment period for calendar year 2027 will open on August 1, 2026, and close on September 30, 2026. During this time, eligible PSAPs can select a vendor and participate in the final year of ECN-managed Mapped ALI implementation.
Selected Vendor: RapidSOS or RapidDeploy
We appreciate your continued partnership as we prepare for this transition of the Mapped ALI program and a final statewide enrollment process.
In light of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, NASNA updated its guidance for PSAPs when answering international wireless 911 calls. This guidance is considered best practice and will remain in effect even after the World Cup is over.
NASNA international wireless calls to 911
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“It’s Your Calling” job board
Reminder: ECN is collecting PSAPs job postings for the “It's Your Calling” webpage.
Share your openings to connect Minnesotans with meaningful career opportunities statewide.
Submit requests to ecn@state.mn.us.
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Get to know your ECN staff
Dan Swiderski, Senior Project Manager
Dan Swiderski joined the ECN team this year as a senior project manager. In this role, Dan helps ensure Minnesota’s 911 network is installed correctly, working as it should and supporting the public safety partners who rely on it.
Dan brings 12 years of 911-related experience to this role, thanks to his time working at Qwest and CenturyLink. There, he helped update Minnesota’s 911 system to an IP-based network. A fun fact about Dan is that he placed the first-ever test call on Minnesota’s NG911 network in 2010, when they were replacing analog copper wirelines with digital IP connections.
Outside of work, Dan lives in Minneapolis with his wife Robyn and enjoys spending time with his three grown sons, two young granddaughters and his black lab Dixie. He is also a longtime coach for the St. Croix Lutheran High School bowling team, which he has coached for 20 years. The team is the reigning Class A state champion and has made 10 consecutive state championship appearances.
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