State and Local Leaders Highlight Shapiro Investments in 911

CHAMBERSBURG– The Shapiro Administration last week joined county and local leaders to discuss how Governor Shapiro has supported the transition to Next Generation 911 (NG911) – the most significant technological upgrades in the history of Pennsylvania’s 911 system.

“As technology changes, people expect their 911 system to keep up with new capabilities for communication and the transfer of information,” said PEMA 911 Deputy Greg Kline. “Our 911 system is the backbone of emergency services in Pennsylvania, and these investments are proof that the Shapiro Administration takes public safety seriously.”

In 2023, Gov. Shapiro signed legislation to extend support of the Commonwealth’s 911 system through Jan. 31, 2029. The legislation also increased the 911 monthly surcharge by 30 cents through Jan. 31, 2026 – a small change that promised to support the ever-growing costs associated with providing quality 911 services across the Commonwealth. As of Dec. 31, 2024, 97 percent of Pennsylvania’s counties have migrated to NG911. The remaining counties are expected to complete their migration in early 2025.

“The 911 system and the telecommunicators who pick up the phones are literally the lifeline to help for folks in the most immediate need,” said State Representative Chad Reichard. “Modernizing the system improves services to our residents so that they can more quickly and efficiently receive often life-saving assistance from our brave first responders.”

Since 2015, the surcharge has been integral to support the planning, coordinating, testing, and implementation of NG911 service across the Commonwealth. The NG911 infrastructure prepares individual county Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs, commonly called “911 Centers”) to provide many services that callers have come expect, such as Text-to-911 and the routing of emergency calls to the appropriate 911 Center. The 911 monthly surcharge fee has covered the initial costs of implementing NG911 and any necessary upgrades at PSAPs.

The improvement of 911 service in Pennsylvania allows for the statewide interconnectivity of individual county PSAPs like never before. It includes behind-the-scenes upgrades and cost saving measures, such as regionalization of services used by county PSAPs, better Geographic Information System (GIS) data, and building redundant systems to ensure PSAPs can seamlessly share caller location information.

“Implementing Next Gen 911 not only improves the lives of our local residents, but also ensures the safety of all Pennsylvanians, thanks to the system’s ability to seamlessly connect 911 centers across the state,” said Franklin County Commissioner Chairman Dean Horst.

The 911 system is the critical link between people who need help and the people who are trained to help. NG911 is a modernization of our 911 system to keep pace with changing consumer technology. It allows for future integration of functionality that will improve access to emergency services through new applications and technologies.

The Commonwealth’s PSAPs employ approximately 2,500 public safety telecommunicators who answered more than 14 million calls for assistance in 2023.

With the launch of NG911 in Pennsylvania, it’s an exciting time to explore a career as a 911 telecommunicator. These important positions typically offer applicants generous benefits, opportunities for advancement, and a rewarding experience while serving their communities. All necessary training is provided. Anyone interested in working for 911 can go here for more information(opens in a new tab).