Congress pushes $43.5M toward E911

Congress approved legislation that frees up $43.5 million for upgrades to 911 call centers. The measure, included in the 9/11 Commission Recommendations bill and funded by proceeds from the upcoming 700 MHz auction, is now headed to the White House.
Under current law the $43.5 million would not be available for grants until after the close of the auction-set to begin late this year or in early January-and the deposit of monies into the U.S. Treasury. The enhanced 911 provision crafted by Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) authorizes the National Telecommunications and Information Administration to immediately borrow the $43.5 million to make available matching grants to states, local governments and tribal organizations. NTIA and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will administer the grant program.
“NENA is grateful for the leadership of Senators Clinton and Stevens for introducing the 911 Modernization Act and pushing to include the language in the 9/11 Commission legislation. Along with the establishment of a dedicated interoperability grant program, there is no question that updating and improving the technological capabilities of 911 centers will improve our nation’s homeland security. Lives will be saved because of the efforts of the Senate E911 Caucus co-chairs and the effect of this legislation,” said Jason Barbour, president of the National Emergency Number Association.
Nearly 40% of counties do not contain a public safety answering point capable of automatically locating wireless 911 calls, according to NENA. Another big problem being examined by the Federal Communications Commission is the inability of current technology to pinpoint the location of wireless 911 callers who are indoors and those generally who live in rural areas. The agency is also studying options for measuring wireless carriers’ compliance with E911 rules.
“With the growing use of mobile phones and Internet-based phone service, upgrading our nation’s emergency call centers so that they can locate and respond to all 911 calls is one of our top public safety concerns,” Clinton said. “This funding will be critical in ensuring that 911 operators can speed help to where it is needed, whether the call for help was made on a cellphone, landline, or broadband phone. I will continue to work with my colleagues to secure the resources necessary to fully fund the ENHANCE Act so that every county in the U.S. and every emergency call dispatcher has access to this life saving technology.”