DOT has been "working" on a Next Generation 9-1-1 for years, with little apparent success or results. If you Google "next generation 911" nothing from DOT is visible. If you go to Google news, nothing from the Federal Government shows up?
I'm going to drill into this - I tried to get involved several years ago, and was basically told that "we have our best people working on it, no need for you to get involved". I was also told that project trials were "on the way" and imminent.
If you don't understand the gravity of the problem, you can only call 9-1-1 on the phone, and even then, if you are using a mobile phone, they might not know where you are. Too many calls to operators at any one call center can overwhelm them, rendering 9-1-1 useless for a period of time while they are cleared. 9-1-1 has no interaction in most cases with 3-1-1 and other community hotlines - causing further confusion.
You can't text 9-1-1, you can't email 9-1-1, and you sure can't twitter 9-1-1 if you see an accident with injuries right in front of your eyes. You also can't be notified digitally if there is a cloud of noxious, poison gas 2 miles down the road - almost all 9-1-1s do not publish their calls for service digitally to either trusted constituents who have been vetted, or to the public.
Houston is one notable exception - their 9-1-1 feed is available to all the community vendors out there. Excellent work on their part, and it should be incorporated into all PSAPs (public service answering points).
Much more to follow, I'm going to make it my part time passion to get some answers on this one.....
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