February 20, 2023

Maryland Association of Counties: Conduit Street

For the second time, Maryland State Senator Cheryl Kagan was chosen as the Next Generation 9-1-1 Institute’s Government Leader of the Year for her groundbreaking work to improve emergency services.

Maryland residents demand and expect 9-1-1 emergency services to be reliable and efficient. Next-generation technology is required to keep up with this increasingly complex public safety function – improving wireless caller location, accommodating incoming text/video, and managing crisis-driven call overflows.

Senator Kagan sponsored a 2018 MACo Legislative Initiative to establish the Commission to Advance Next-Generation 9-1-1 Across Maryland to update state laws and the 9-1-1 financing system to provide the flexibility and resources needed to deploy a statewide NG911 system. The Commission, chaired by Senator Kagan, included 9-1-1 directors, technology and telecommunications industry representatives, cybersecurity professionals, bipartisan legislators, and other stakeholders to ensure a smooth and equitable transition to NG911.

The Commission’s work resulted in several laws to bolster the framework and resources to guide a successful statewide transition to NG911, enhancing public safety communications in Maryland and our local communities. As a result, Maryland counties are leading the way in building a statewide Next Generation 9-1-1 system to equip public safety agencies and first responders with 21st-century tools and technology to protect residents and save lives.

“I am deeply honored to be recognized with this award again. Inspired by the tragic death of Rockville resident and activist Carl Henn when 9-1-1 failed, I have been working to ensure that no other Maryland family faces such a devastating loss,” said Senator Kagan, who also received this award in 2018. “As I often say, when 9-1-1 fails, people die.”

Each February, the NG911 Institute hosts the Annual Honor Awards Reception to recognize and honor heroes and leaders in the 9-1-1 field. Tickets to attend the free February 27th event on Capitol Hill are available.

About the NG911 Institute

The NG911 Institute is a not-for-profit organization supporting the efforts of the Congressional NextGen 911 Caucus. The mission of the NG911 Institute is to assist the Congressional NextGen 911 Caucus by serving as a broad educational resource on issues essential to the effective operation and advancement of NG911 services and systems. The overarching objective of the Institute is to advance the rapid implementation of NG911 to promote more effective emergency response, improve public safety, and advance national security interests. To this end, the Institute seeks to educate Congressional Members and staff on issues that may impact timely and effective NG911 implementation.