Next Generation 911

North Dakota reached a major milestone in 911 public safety on May 31, 2005, when the final 911 jurisdiction in North Dakota went live with Phase II wireless service. North Dakota became the 6th State in the nation to accomplish this statewide goal. This achievement means most cell phone callers dialing 911 will be located by GPS (global positioning system), greatly aiding dispatchers and emergency responders in locating individuals in emergency situations.

The dynamic nature of communication technology however has made it evident that this was just the first step in the evolution of 911, which has been termed “Next Generation 911” or often just "NG911". Very simply, NG911 is the careful migration of the current (30-year old) infrastructure used for 911 calling to a flexible and secure broadband infrastructure that can carry a much broader range of communication signals – some of which cannot currently reach a public safety dispatcher directly. Examples could include text messaging and sending photos and videos.

The North Dakota Legislature established the Emergency Services Communications Coordinating Committee (ESCCC) to “coordinate plans for implementing” NG911. This Committee is also charged with recommending “changes to the operating standards for emergency services communications”, and “developing guidelines regarding the allowable uses of the fee revenue” collected for 911 systems.

NDACo has, on staff, an NG911 Program Manager position to coordinate with the ESCCC and other public and private stakeholders for the orderly implementation of NG911 service across the state. This program management methodology is consistent with that which made Phase II wireless service possible for the PSAPs of North Dakota.

ESCCC agendas, minutes, and meeting materials have been posted below to facilitate their dissemination. Other relevant links relating to NG911 have also been provided.