Public Safety Answering Points

A Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) is a facility with enhanced 9-1-1 capability, operated on a 24-hour basis, assigned the responsibility of receiving 9-1-1 calls and, as appropriate, directly dispatching emergency services or, through transfer routing or relay routing, passing 9-1-1 calls to public or private safety agencies.

Currently, there are 26 PSAPs in Maine.

The Bureau plays an integral part in the PSAP's total operation. Each PSAP has between two and 12 Answering Position Units (APUs) that receive wireline and wireless Enhanced 9-1-1 emergency calls. The APU displays the name, address and callback number of a wireline caller. In the case of a wireless caller, the system displays the address of the wireless tower that delivered the call, the caller's cell phone number, and possibly, the approximate location of the caller. The equipment also handles calls from VoIP callers. The Bureau is in the process of deploying mapping software at each PSAP capable of plotting the location of the 9-1-1 caller. This will be complete by the end of February 2008.

Emerging new technologies such ACN (Automatic Crash Notification) and telematics such as OnStar present new challenges regarding the routing and location of emergency callers. Solutions for these new technologies are being explored on a national level and will be implemented in Maine as soon as they are deemed reliable and commercially available.

2010 PSAP Reduction Plan Development

The 124th Legislature recently enacted Resolves 2009, Chapter 196 that requires the Public Utilities Commission (Commission) to develop a plan by November 1, 2010, to reduce the number of PSAPs to between 15 and 17 as proposed in the L. Robert Kimball Optimum PSAP Reconfiguration Assessment issued earlier this year.

On June 15, 2010, the Commission issued a Notice of Inquiry (NOI), Docket 2010-185, to solicit comments on issues such as PSAP selection criteria, incentives to further voluntary consolidation of PSAPs and dispatch, cellular call routing, and ways to curb PSAP rate shopping. In addition, it will seek information on any consolidation plans or studies that may be currently underway, and ideas on how to address the fragmentation of dispatch and PSAP services.

The Commission welcomes your participation in the NOI process. In order for your comments to be considered, they will need to be filed no later than July 12, 2010. They can be filed either electronically or by mail. Filing instructions are outlined in the document and should refer to the docket number. All comments will appear on the Virtual Case File section of the Commission’s web site.

By filing comments you are automatically placed on the service list for all future communications. If you chose not to file comments but would like to follow the progress of the NOI and receive any future notices, you can write a letter to the Administrative Director of the Commission requesting to be added to the service list for the docket. Include your name, address, telephone number and email address.

In August, Staff will issue a proposed PSAP consolidation plan to interested parties identified through the NOI process. Once again, parties will be allowed to comment by a deadline. The Commission then will consider comments, edit the proposed plan, and submit its final report to the Utilities and Energy Committee by November 1, 2010, for its consideration during the upcoming legislative session.

To access a copy of the NOI, go to the following link and enter 2010-185 in the Case ID field.

Public Utilities Commission Virtual Case File

BUREAU INFORMATION

Public Safety Answering Points

2010 PSAP Reduction Plan Development