How does GIS Work in E911 Communications?

[ChrisCrabtree]

I work at an E-911 communications center. I work a little with the GIS system we use, I collect some data such as fire hydrants, landing zones, trail systems, things likes that but I don't get to mess with the really neat stuff. I know When a 911 center receives a 911 call from a cell phone or land line the number is sent to a processing company (Intrado is who we use) but after the information is pulled from the company's database how is that information sent back to the 911 center and populated on the map? I know there is
some type of database that is used along with the GIS system t generate the data an populate it on the map but I was just curious
of the process. I have searched and searched online but have not found any good information on the subject. 

Just trying to lean a thing or two!  Thanks!

[JoeBorgione · Accepted solution]

I work at an E-911 communications center. I work a little with the GIS system we use, I collect some data such as fire hydrants, landing zones, trail systems, things likes that but I don't get to mess with the really neat stuff. I know When a 911 center receives a 911 call from a cell phone or land line the number is sent to a processing company (Intrado is who we use) but after the information is pulled from the company's database how is that information sent back to the 911 center and populated on the map? I know there is
some type of database that is used along with the GIS system t generate the data an populate it on the map but I was just curious
of the process. I have searched and searched online but have not found any good information on the subject. 

Just trying to lean a thing or two!  Thanks!

The mapping product your call takers/dispatchers have in front of them is typically (emphasis typically) populated with shapefiles provided by the 9-1-1 call center.  I currently work at two centers and that's how we do it anyway.  When the address information comes in on the Ani/Ali screen (the data from Intrado), it gets copied over to the CAD itself and the mapping product.  The address is then geocoded in the mapping product and as long as the data there and in CAD aggree with the address from the Ani/Ali, your'e good to go.

Keep in mind that the Ani/Ali data comes from telecoms; they are in the business of providing dial tone, not verifying addresses.  So if someone calls up for phone service and says "I live at 1234 My St" that's the address that will pop up when that person calls 9-1-1.  The reality might be that (s)he lives at 1234 SomeOther ST, but just liked the sound of My St better....

Without going too far off topic, NextGen911 which is still in the early phases of planning (read dreaming) the Ani/Ali 'dip' wil go away and the address assignment will from higher quality GIS data.

[ChrisCrabtree]

Okay I wasn't for sure. I know we have a shape file in our mapping program that is specifically for calls, it has different symbology for different types of calls (911 phase 1, phase 2, land line, misc) and I know we have an access database that is specifically for 911 calls but I wasn't for sure how it tied into all of it. I have been going to the NextGen conferences and here in Tennessee (where I live) we are very close to getting our next gen in service. We have the TIPS standard which all 911 centers are going to which is basically a template for all 911 centers to use with their address and center line data and its designed for statewide use instead of county by county or district by district. I don't know why they didn't just create a national standard since this is what it will eventually go to but, hey I'm not in charge lol!

[TimWitt]

Christopher,

I know there is a standard provided by NENA that is used nation wide. I don't know why everyone follows that standard? It would make it a lot easier to share data between agencies, counties and even nationwide. I know we are sharing data with our surrounding counties and it helps a lot.

We recently switch to a new mapping software, that is largely based around ESRI geodatabases and MXD's, which makes customization a lot easier, without relying on vendor support. I assume you are a dispatcher at the moment? I'm glad that you start familiarizing yourself with ESRI technologies, since I see a lot of mapping vendors moving towards that.

Just to let you know, I am a GIS Analyst for 11 dispatch centers, so if you have any more questions feel free to ask!

Tim

[ChrisCrabtree]

Here at my dispatch all our 911 addressing is done by a secretary who has no GIS training at all. Our data is very outdated but due to the policy changes with the State of TN the secretary is having to change a lot of our data. For the past 10 years if you had a 911 call at an apartment you would only be get the one address for the apartment, you would not be able to see which apartment number the call was coming from, it would only give you one address point for the whole entire apartment complex, which is not only ridicules but dangerous. We are in the process of making our system better, I have collected data on landing zones, fire hydrants, ATV and horseback riding trails in our county and have had that data added to the map. The state of TN is trying to make it where every county in the state can have its bordering counties data if it needs it, which includes the address, center line, and hydrant data but the state has just recently started this along with all their GIS standards which I'm sure they are copying straight from NENA. For our state we have 3 GIS analyst's which serve 95 counties. One for West, Middle, and East Tennessee. Some day I hope to work in GIS for a 911 center, even though I am doing that now, I still dispatch, answer calls, and do all the things I wish I wasn't doing. Maybe one day I'll get to do GIS all day!  lol   one day! 🙂

Christopher,

I know there is a standard provided by NENA that is used nation wide. I don't know why everyone follows that standard? It would make it a lot easier to share data between agencies, counties and even nationwide. I know we are sharing data with our surrounding counties and it helps a lot.

We recently switch to a new mapping software, that is largely based around ESRI geodatabases and MXD's, which makes customization a lot easier, without relying on vendor support. I assume you are a dispatcher at the moment? I'm glad that you start familiarizing yourself with ESRI technologies, since I see a lot of mapping vendors moving towards that.

Just to let you know, I am a GIS Analyst for 11 dispatch centers, so if you have any more questions feel free to ask!

Tim