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.

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.