This article was originally published on 911.gov News.
The National 911 Program has selected Mission Critical Partners (MCP) to pilot and evaluate the first subset of the 911 DataPath data exchange model. This pilot project is the next step in building a national 911 data system as envisioned by the 911 DataPath Initiative. The first step was the publication of a strategic plan for the “universe” of 911 data, and the second was the release of Administrative Data for 911 Decision-Making, which features the first subset of the 911 data.
The National 911 Program, housed within the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS), will collaborate with MCP on the project. The contract was awarded following an open and competitive procurement process.The data exchange model will be owner-agnostic, scalable, expandable and agile. It is designed to enable the routine sharing of 911 data, creating actionable knowledge that enhances public safety as well as emergency response outcomes. The project will inform everything required to build, maintain and utilize the data exchange model in emergency communications centers (ECCs) across the country. Lessons learned related to governance, data-sharing agreements, technical considerations and requirements, and data elements and definitions are expected to yield best practices that all ECCs can use.
“The repository represents the future of data use and the power of fully leveraging available data such as images, text and video in the public safety community,” said Darrin Reilly, president and CEO of MCP. “It will enable agencies to cut across traditional boundaries to derive benefit from large datasets. It also will help foster cooperation among agencies that historically have operated in silos by demonstrating the value of coordinating efforts.”
The National 911 Program is responsible for improving coordination and communication among Federal, State and local 911 centers and their personnel, and telecommunications carriers and vendors. One of the program’s primary objectives is to develop and share resources concerning the technology used to provide 911 services.