Broward to overhaul 911 system enabling video, text and faster emergency response
Key Points(5)
- Broward’s 911 system is about to get a major upgrade that promises to vastly improve law enforcement’s ability to respond quickly to emergencies and allow people seeking help to provide more information than ever before.
- “It takes 911 communication to another level,” Broward Mayor Mark Bogen said.
- “This new technology will allow people to communicate with 911 by voice, by text, by video.
- It’s like going from dial-up to high-speed Internet.” County staff presented the idea to the commission last year, leading to a request for proposals from businesses interested in providing the service to Broward’s 2 million residents.
- Motorola’s bid won the staff recommendation, and approval is on the “consent agenda” before the commission Tuesday.
Broward County is preparing to roll out a major upgrade to its 911 system that will allow residents to send video, photos and text messages during emergencies while also improving response times and location tracking for dispatchers.
The County Commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a contract with Motorola Solutions worth up to $25 million over 10 years to replace the county’s existing emergency call system with a “Next Generation 911” platform.
According to a Sun Sentinel report, the upgrade is designed to modernize Broward’s emergency communications infrastructure, allowing callers to share real-time video from cellphones and giving dispatchers more precise tools to locate people in distress.
“It takes 911 communication to another level,” Broward Mayor Mark Bogen said. “This new technology will allow people to communicate with 911 by voice, by text, by video. It’s like going from dial-up to high-speed Internet.”
County officials say the system will significantly improve response efficiency, including reducing call connection time from about four seconds to roughly one second — a change they say could be critical in life-threatening situations.
“It doesn’t sound like a big deal, but when you’re in an emergency, every second counts,” Bogen said.
The new system will also automatically route incoming calls to the nearest of Broward’s three 911 call centers. If one center becomes overwhelmed, calls will be redistributed to other county facilities, with the potential for support from neighboring counties during large-scale emergencies.
Under the “Next Generation 911” model, residents will be able to activate cellphone cameras during emergencies, allowing dispatchers to view incidents in real time. Officials say this could be especially useful when callers are unable to speak during medical crises or active crime situations.
According to 911.gov, Next Generation 911 is a digital, internet protocol-based system designed to replace aging analog infrastructure and improve emergency response capabilities through integrated voice, text, photo and video communication.
County staff say Motorola Solutions was selected following a competitive bidding process after presenting the system to commissioners last year. The proposal is currently listed on the commission’s consent agenda.
Officials estimate the full implementation of the upgraded system will take about 18 months.
