Program Manager Update

It's done! 

With the NORCOM cutover in November, all PSAPs in King County are now running on the new system. This accomplishment required many long days and nights by the Intrado Tech Team, all the Project Managers, the 911 Program Office team, and our PSAP partners. A huge thanks to all involved! Now that all PSAPs are on the system, we are completing some system upgrades to ensure everyone is running on the latest versions. We will take 60 days to ensure everything is operating as expected.

The year 2024 was incredibly busy on the technology front, and 2025 promises to be almost as full. We’ll be completing the selection and contracting phases with our Centralized Voice/Data Logging Recorder vendor, running system trials to prepare for World Cup 2026, changing the wireless call routing to ensure correct PSAP routing, providing assistive 911 call quality assurance for our PSAPs, evaluating new technology tools hitting the 911 market, and more! The technology landscape is evolving faster than at any other time in my 30-year 911 career, and it is both exciting and daunting.

The final PSAP Platform implementation marked the completion of all goals and objectives outlined in the 2018 Regional King County E-911 Strategic Plan – a full 3 years ahead of schedule! We have operated under the recommended governance structure for quite some time, reworked the Outreach and Training programs, and achieved fiscal sustainability through 2033. This does not mean we are done operating strategically. We are working collaboratively with the PSAPs to continually identify and move forward with evolving our strategic objectives. We plan to adopt the latest version in early 2025 and update the outreach and training objectives by Q3 2025.

All in all, it is an exciting time to be involved with 911! 

Financial 

As the new year unfolds, 2025 promises change. The Program Office is in a healthy and sustainable financial situation. While December 2024 is still being closed, the financials through November look good. Revenue is $2.7M better than budget and $0.3M better than last year at this time. Expenses are under budget by $5.4M and $0.45M better than last year. This financial health allows us to act on technological opportunities, support PSAP partners, and set goals for 2025 and beyond.

"The new year stands before us, like a chapter in a book, waiting to be written. We can help write that story by setting goals." -  Melody Beattie

Public Education & Outreach

The Outreach Team had a busy and successful 2024, participating in over 65 community events and speaking engagements. Their efforts focused on educating students and teachers across all educational levels, from elementary schools to colleges, with a special emphasis on international students.

Beyond the school setting, the team aimed to educate the public about outdoor safety. They emphasized the 10 essential safety items for hiking and water related activities, offered advice on handling emergencies, and informed people about the resources 911 offers to ensure their safety.

Looking ahead to 2025, the team plans to expand its network by connecting with untapped community groups. Although winter is a quieter season for the team, they are actively planning and preparing for when the events pick up again and they can get back out into the community!

High-Tech Heroes: Celebrating a Seamless Cutover

Cutovers completed successfully!

In mid-November, NORCOM was the final PSAP to migrate to the Platform. The cutover was a tribute to the hard work and dedication of everyone involved. NORCOM remodeled their Communications Center, replacing furniture, installing new carpet, painting, and updating lights. The whole KC911 team ensured the 911 system testing was completed. Special thanks to the Outreach Team for their help! The Intrado Local Techs did an amazing job throughout the cutovers, starting with the first PSAP cutover in November 2023.

Now that all PSAPs are stable, what's next? Operations and Maintenance. The Techs haven’t gotten a break. A software upgrade has been pending the last cutover. Once this revision is applied, there will be a 60-day freeze on activities to focus on resolving gating issues, implementation validation, issue resolution, and preventative maintenance.

The project team has done an amazing job this year, overcoming many obstacles. The schedule was challenging, but everyone maintained a positive attitude and solved problems and met deadlines. The success of this project reflects the outstanding individual effort of everyone involved. That accomplishment is worth celebrating!

Legislation and 911

In 2024, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued two Report and Orders that have generated excitement within the 911 community. The first order mandates wireless cell carriers to implement location-based routing, which will enhance the accuracy of location information provided to PSAPs and reduce the need for transferring callers between PSAPs. This represents a significant advancement towards achieving true Next Generation 911 (NG911). 

The second rule addresses to the routing of calls to 988, the national suicide hotline. Wireless carriers are now required to implement georouting for these calls, ensuring they are directed based on the caller's current location rather than their area code.