Faster, stronger 911 system rolling out in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- New technology is providing Ohioans with advanced communication capabilities when calling 911.  

Next Generation 911 makes emergency services more efficient, especially in rural areas of Ohio, where it's critical to have a strong and reliable communication infrastructure.  

In Central Ohio, Union County is among 10 pilot counties in the state that are already utilizing Next Generation 911.

"The delivery of the 911 calls will be more reliable because it is based on a broadband service system," Union County 911 Coordinator Pam Millhoan said. 

The new system modernizes how Ohioans interact with 911, reshaping how emergency calls are located, routed and handled to help save more. While voice calls are preferred, texting capabilities allow people who may be in distress or hard of hearing to get the help they need.  

"Governor DeWine, who's always been focused on public safety, took the initiative to request substantial increase in funding for the Next Gen 911 project, which was enacted in the last operating budget," Ohio Department of Administrative Services Director Kathleen Madden said. 

The Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is managing the state's long-term strategy for migration to Next Generation 911. DAS received $46 million in the state's last operating budget to create the infrastructure for the system.

"It's really about saving lives and finding efficiency in emergency response times," Madden said.  

According to Madden, many central Ohioans, like her, live in townships, many of which rely on mutual aid agreements between those jurisdictions to respond in the event of an emergency.  

"Having the ability to pinpoint accurately, respond to an emergency, eliminates this call transfer so when you call 911, it's going right to the correct spot for that jurisdiction to respond to you," Madden said.  

Madden said early data is already showing the system increases the speed of accuracy and eliminates call transfers by close to 40%.  

"It's very much like how we operate today," Madden said. "Many of us don't have landlines anymore so having a mobile-friendly device that helps us respond and get our first responders to us in the case of an emergency is key."

According to state leaders, Next Generation 911 was a necessary upgrade of the existing 911 system to adapt to how people communicate, which is largely through mobile and digital services.  

"This is just one other tool that we can use to help benefit our citizens and help our dispatchers get the information that they need to do their jobs better," Millhoan said. 

Starting July 1, once all 10 pilot counties are officially certified, the rest of Ohio’s counties will have five years to transition to the system.