(ANNAPOLIS, MD) After four years of working to upgrade Maryland’s 9-1-1 system, the Commission to Advance Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) Across Maryland released its fourth & final annual report with 24 recommendations. Highlights include:

 

●      Streamlining access to mental health services for 9-1-1 Specialists;

●      Authorizing counties to set the local portion of the 9-1-1 fee;

●      Providing Workers’ Compensation for 9-1-1 Specialists with PTSD;

●      Requiring timely notification of 9-1-1 outages;

●      Increasing penalties for “Swatting” and cyberattacks on 9-1-1 Centers;

●      Mandating Implicit Bias Training for 9-1-1 Specialists;

●      Continuing Comptroller audit reporting;

●      Improving 9-1-1 Board operations;

●      Educating the public about Kari’s Law;

●      Collecting 9-1-1 data statewide;

●      Reclassifying 9-1-1 Specialists as First Responders;

●      Enforcing cybersecurity standards at all 9-1-1 Centers;

●      Ensuring that emergencies can be located in multi-story buildings (Z-axis); and

●      Facilitating remote call-taking. 

 

 

 

Critical to the success of this Commission have been Vice Chair Steve Souder, a 50+ year 9-1-1 leader; a bipartisan group of legislators; 9-1-1 Center directors; technology and telecommunications representatives; Cybersecurity professionals; industry consultants; and other stakeholders.