Next Generation 911 (NextGen) rollout?

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

next gen 911‌addressing##911 addressing

At the local GIS Users group meeting a few days ago there was a presentation on Next Generation 911, how it will differ from the current system, and that it is hoped to be implemented by the year 2020 in the United States and Canada.  I do addressing for a medium-sized city, so am curious how this will roll down to my level, since I am not directly involved in response but the response folks do use the addresses I assign.  Since NextGen 911 will be directly using municipalities centerline GIS data instead of phone company records, this caught my attention.

So some beginner questions:

• Is the project on track for 2020 in all areas?
• Has anyone fully implemented NextGen 911 already?
• What level of effort does it typically require municipalities to update their centerline data so it works with surrounding municipalities in NextGen 911?
• What level of effort is anticipated once the centerline data is in use in NextGen 911 to do the ongoing maintenance?  Is it expected to require extra staffing?
• Is it expected that address points will be a requirement in the near future (sounds like they are not required in the current implementation)?
• Have municipalities and call centers (PSAP) been able to get funding to help implement NextGen 911?  Organizational funding?  Grants?
• If you have worked on this, any insight on issues that have come up?
• Also, on the legislative side, is there a mandate that specifies when the system must be in place?  Or is it voluntary at this point?

Chris Donohue, GISP

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

(bump)

[JoeBorgione]

• Is the project on track for 2020 in all areas?
  • I doubt it.  I can't see it happening in my area of operations by then; we have our hands full for a county wide cad consolidation that will take the next two years.
• Has anyone fully implemented NextGen 911 already?
  • I think a few states have had some pilot programs but can't tell you who
• What level of effort does it typically require municipalities to update their centerline data so it works with surrounding municipalities in NextGen 911?
  • It depends; how complete is the current data?  How willing are those data stewards to change to the NENA(?) standards?
• What level of effort is anticipated once the centerline data is in use in NextGen 911 to do the ongoing maintenance?  Is it expected to require extra staffing?
  • It would have to be big; count on additional personnel.
• Is it expected that address points will be a requirement in the near future (sounds like they are not required in the current implementation)?
  • I use address points now.  Swear by them.  You should too.
• Have municipalities and call centers (PSAP) been able to get funding to help implement NextGen 911?  Organizational funding?  Grants?
  • Money and politics; you know me well enough that I don't won't discuss them; my doctor won't let me.
• If you have worked on this, any insight on issues that have come up?
  • Yes; see my answer above
• Also, on the legislative side, is there a mandate that specifies when the system must be in place?  Or is it voluntary at this point?
  • See my answer above...

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

Thanks for the insights Joe.

We're sort of in the same boat - our Response folks are in the middle of getting a NewWorld CAD system ironed out, which is taking a while.  We've had to do some work-around addressing in a few spots to make it happy.

Our budget is being drawn up now for the next financial year, so if NextGen 911 is in the works, we need to get in the budget soon if we want to have funding starting in July 2017.  If we wait another few months, it will be a year and a half (July 2018) before it would get funded.  And if NextGen 911 requires added personnel, that will be a budget battle in itself on top of it.  As I'm discovering now that I'm the Public Sector, the cogs of government churn endlessly but slowly.....

And as for your comment on address points, gotta have them.  Centerlines are nice, but address points are the way to go. 

Chris Donohue, GISP

[JoeBorgione]

A collegue of mine once said "If Census had started out with Tiger Points instead of Tiger Lines, we'd all have been better off..."  I couldn't agree more.

While I'm technically "private sector" the reality is I'm a contractor milking the public sector udder.  More times than I can remember, I've had to bite my tongue when I've wanted to scream.  Did it with a NextGen pilot project a couple years ago that still hasn't materialized.   NextGen 9-1-1 is a great concept that is long over due.  Look how long it took to get E911 fully functional (?) nationwide . 

Good luck with the New World migration .   This is my third CAD migration; what doesn't kill me makes me stronger...

[TimWitt2]

• Is the project on track for 2020 in all areas?
  • There is a 99% chance that it won't be ready in all areas by 2020.
• Has anyone fully implemented NextGen 911 already?
  • I don't know about that.
• What level of effort does it typically require municipalities to update their centerline data so it works with surrounding municipalities in NextGen 911?
  • I maintain centerline data for our whole county (little more than 500k population) which is a full-time job, but I think it is better to do it that wa,y than having 10 cooks(cities doing their own thing) in the kitchen. I also maintain the address point data for the whole county.
• What level of effort is anticipated once the centerline data is in use in NextGen 911 to do the ongoing maintenance?  Is it expected to require extra staffing?
  • If your data is already NextGen ready, there won't be any need for more staffing. The biggest issue will be to get your data ready (left and right ranges, ESN for left and right....)
• Is it expected that address points will be a requirement in the near future (sounds like they are not required in the current implementation)?
  • Address Points are key for 911! I can only echo what Joe said. Your locator should first look at address points and street centerline ranges should only be a fallback in case an address point is missing.
• Have municipalities and call centers (PSAP) been able to get funding to help implement NextGen 911?  Organizational funding?  Grants?
  • I don't know about that.
• If you have worked on this, any insight on issues that have come up?
  • We had issues with street centerlines being digitized in every direction, meaning you should digitize your centerlines with the addresses flow. ------>----->------> instead of -----><------<------------>.
  • Don't have overlapping ranges.
  • No holes in your ESN layer.
  • Pretty much your data needs to be in tip top shape.
  • When choosing a mapping system make sure they know about NextGen 911 and are able to use both address points and street centerlines for verification.

[JoeBorgione]

Interesting parallels between my comments and yours Tim.  I'd like to comment on this:

I maintain centerline data for our whole county (little more than 500k population) which is a full-time job, but I think it is better to do it that wa,y than having 10 cooks(cities doing their own thing) in the kitchen. I also maintain the address point data for the whole county.

I take a different approach with an enterprise geodatabase, that has all the cities maintain their own data.  But.... The big difference between me and the rest of them, and I mean no disrespect, is, like you I'm 9-1-1 focused; they are not.  And I think there are a lot of very competent GIS practitioners that don't quite get the significance of coupling GIS and 9-1-1 dispatch.  And that's okay; it keeps me (and you) employed.

timw1984‌

cdspatial‌

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

But.... The big difference between me and the rest of them, and I mean no disrespect, is, like you I'm 9-1-1 focused; they are not.

I know what you mean.  My group inherited the addressing responsibility for the City two years ago and one thing we immediately found out is that addressing is used by several groups for different purposes.  Now I'm not saying this in a bad way, but every group has a specific need of addressing but little interest in the other uses.  For example, for the Utility folks we address assets in some cases, but I'm sure the 911 folks really don't care that one of the buildings is served by an landscape irrigation water meter with a slightly different address than the building.  So I can see the case where there is the master address database, then the cut-down replicated copies that are sent out to each group that meets their specific needs.

Chris Donohue, GISP

[JoeBorgione]

People always ask me "What is your QA/QC methodology?" to which I typically reply "Well, the phone rings a few thousand times a day..."

I've been working a part time gig with the county on a project to get their addressing division off the old main frame and onto a GIS centric system.  Pretty cool project for a lot of reasons:  I wear my 9-1-1 hat a few days a week and consume their address point data, and a couple days a week I switch to my county hat to improve the work flow and distribution practices.  I also see how many various agencies,with in and outside of the county that consume address point data.  It's really popular stuff! 

My suggestion would be to serve out the basics:  House Number, Unit Number, Street Name, City, Zip, etc.  Everybody needs that.  That leaves the responsibility of mission specific attributes or related tables to the individual agencies.  They are the SMEs ( a new acronym for me- subject matter experts.)  In the enterprise geodatabase I manage of street centerlines, I let those cities replicate from me to them if they choose.  Which works great:  I'm only concerned with managing the basics but I replicate to my 9-1-1 specific database, and don't care when the last time the cross walks were painted.  On the other hand, the cities don't care what fire response zone is associated with a given street, but pavement management?  You bet!

[ChrisDonohue__GISP]

Tim,

Thanks for your input.  Quick question.  In your comment  "The biggest issue will be to get your data ready (left and right ranges, ESN for left and right....)"  what is ESN?

Chris Donohue, GISP