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.

2009 Optimum PSAP Configuration/Next Gen 9-1-1 Study

The Bureau is required by Public Law 219 to report back to the Maine State Legislature in January 2010 on the optimum PSAP configuration. In response to this initiative, the Bureau has contracted with L. Robert Kimball to conduct a comprehensive study on this issue, as well as report on options for an Internet Protocol enabled (IP-enabled) 9-1-1 network in preparation for Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG91-1). By studying re-configuration and NG9-1-1 feasibility, the Bureau is better preparing public safety services statewide to receive and share voice and data from many sources.

As part of the study, Kimball and the Bureau developed a survey to gather demographic information, data and statistics, technical inventory and stakeholder input needed to determine PSAP configuration recommendations and plan for the migration to Next Gen 9-1-1. The survey below was emailed to PSAP Directors on September 23, 2009 to complete and return directly to Kimball by October 9, 2009.

PSAP Survey

Additonally, Kimball will be holding a series of stakeholder focus group meetings in October to allow various organizations with interest in the outcome of the study to provide input.

Groups on the list for focus group discussions include:

E9-1-1 Council
Maine EMS Board
Maine Municipal Association Executive board
Maine City and Town Managers
Maine County Commissioners Association
Maine County Sheriff’s Association
Maine Chiefs of Police
Maine Fire Chiefs Association
Maine Fire Commission
Maine County EMA Directors
Maine Emergency Management Agency
Maine Interoperability Communications Committee
Maine NENA Chapter
Maine Emergency County Communications Association
State of Maine Dispatch Organizations
State Chief Information Officer
Dispatch Centers that were once PSAPs

If you do not find your group on the list and would like to provide input, c ontact the Bureau.

BUREAU INFORMATION

Public Safety Answering Points

2009 Optimum PSAP Configuration/Next Gen 9-1-1 Study