NYC emergency call system receiving makeover to enhance public safety

The new system will help speed up response times and allow critical information between 911, the NYPD and the FDNY to be routed quicker among agencies.

News 12 Staff

Jan 25, 2023, 10:26 PM

Updated 684 days ago

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City officials announced Wednesday that New York City's 911 emergency call system is getting a multimillion-dollar makeover to enhance public safety.
They say it’s called “Next Generation 911” or “NG911” for short.
The new system will help speed up response times and allow critical information between 911, the NYPD and the FDNY to be routed quicker among agencies. Also, the information coming in is expected to cut down on the amount of time it takes to internally handle a call.
NG911 will give people and emergency workers the ability to send and share texts, photographs and videos to the city's 911 system, which will help first responders deal with an emergency before they arrive to a scene.
The city's 911 call centers operate out of the Bronx and Brooklyn, and combined they receive about 9 million calls a year. Once fully operational, Next Generation 911 will also have the capability for livestreaming.
Officials acknowledged the system will be tested and implemented in phases over the course of the year. The $270 million upgrade to the city's 911 network is slated to be complete by the end of 2024.