emergency management agency911 at the pennsylvania emergency management agency (pema). thank you for...
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pennsylvania EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
Testimony for the Senate Veterans Affairs & Emergency Preparedness Committee
October 19, 2017
Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency
Jeffrey Boyle, Deputy Director for 911
Good morning Mr. Chairman and members of the Veterans' Affairs and Emergency Preparedness
Committee and Senate Committee on Communications and Technology. I am Jeff Boyle, Deputy Director for
911 at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency (PEMA). Thank you for the opportunity to discuss
Next Generation 911 (NG911) and its integration with the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
(NPSBN), also known as FirstNet.
911 is a vital part of public safety as the first point of contact in emergency situations. 911 centers,
known as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP's), processed over 9.5 million requests for emergency service
from citizens and visitors to Pennsylvania in 2016. Today, our 911 system is facing technical challenges that
have a direct impact on the ability of PSAPs to continue providing critical services to both the public and first
responders. Consumer communications technology has outpaced improvements and capabilities in 911 and
the public safety community in general. The 911 system must be enhanced to meet the public's needs and
expectations, and provide equal access to emergency services for at-risk communities such as the deaf and hard
of hearing. Act 12 of 2015 (Act 12} recognized the need to increase the capabilities of the 911 system and to
facilitate the implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911) in Pennsylvania .
NG911 is a necessary transition from the decades old legacy 911 system infrastructure to an internet
protocol (IP) based 911 system. Communication to a PSAP today is primarily limited to a voice call with very
little data, which was sufficient when calls were placed on a wireline phone inside a business or residence.
Today, more than three-quarters of all 911 calls are placed on mobile devices, and the trend of communication
currently includes, or will soon include, other modes of media such as livestreaming video, photos, text
messages, and data from digitally connected items such as alarms, sensors, and video monitors. NG911 will
support all modes of communication from the traditional wireline telephone to most recent sensor or device.
NG911 also provides a more robust and interconnected infrastructure than today's legacy 911 systems that can
support quick and efficient data-sharing capabilities throughout the entire 911 community. In addition, pre
planned and on-the-fly call routing functionality will allow PSAPs to share the call volume load during large scale
incidents, or transfer calls if a PSAP is physically damaged or otherwise incapable of answering 911 calls. NG911
also allows for cost and operational efficiencies through regional or statewide system-sharing solutions and the
retirement of expensive legacy technologies.
NG911 Progress
The Commonwealth's 911 community has been successful in advancing its 9 1-1 systems over a changing
landscape since its formation. We are at the beginning of another significant period of change for our public
safety communications system. One of the great successes of Act 12 continues to be the close coordination
between PEMA and the 9 1-1 community through the thirty-nine member 911 Advisory Board. Members of the
Board include state agency representatives (PEMA, PSP, OA, PUC and OSFC), county representatives, first
responder associations, local government associations, communications provider associations, along with
members of the General Assembly. The 911 Advisory Board is supported by robust subcommittees focused on
funding, technology, training, and quality assurance. PEMA, in consultation with the 911 Advisory Board, had
significant accomplishments since the passage Act 12 that have set a solid foundation to implement and sustain
a commonwealth-wide NG911 system.
Accomplishments include completing a physical inventory of each PSAP in 2016. A statewide 911 Plan,
NG911 GIS Strategic Plan, and 911 system standards and requirements were adopted by PEMA in consultation
with the 911 advisory Board. Many needed reforms have been implemented in the 911 Program to streamline
business processes and to improve planning, budgeting, and oversight. A combination of increased revenue,
streamlined business processes within the 911 Program, improved oversight, and incentivizing efficiencies have
put Pennsylvania on the path towards a sustainable 911 Fund and Program. PEMA is currently in the process of
obtaining aerial imagery of the Commonwealth to assist local efforts with developing and maintaining the GIS
data sets necessary for supporting a statewide NG911 system. PEMA and the 911 Advisory Board continue to
develop NG911 system requirements and a NG911 Implementation Plan.
NG911 and FirstNet
NG911 and FirstNet are two equally essential components of a comprehensive public safety
communication system that are being planned and implemented in Pennsylvania and across the country. NG911
is a necessary upgrade of our legacy 911 system infrastructure to an internet-protocol platform that allows for
more data-rich communication between the PSAPs and those calling 911 to request emergency services.
FirstNet will provide a wireless broadband network between the PSAPs and first responder community. NG911
and FirstNet are two separate public safety systems but complementary of each other. FirstNet will serve first
responders in the field while NG9-1-1 will serve them in the PSAP.
The success of NG911 and FirstNet depends on the ability of these two systems to share data. When
coordinated, NG911 and FirstNet will greatly improve public safety communications by providing the seamless
exchange of data between the public, our PSAPs, and first responders. In a NG911/FirstNet er:ivironment,
information and data from the public and digitally connected devices will be routed to PSAPs through NG911.
Our dedicated and trained 911 personnel will review and coordinate all information and then send the data in
real time through FirstNet to first responders in the field. In controlled cases, some pre-determined data may
bypass the PSAP and be sent directly to the first responders -further decreasing notification time. Both systems
are at a point in their planning and design in Pennsylvania where we can ensure these systems are interoperable,
find efficiencies through shared resources, and coordinate on cybersecurity requirements.
PEMA has taken a collaborative approach with the 911 community on the planning, design, and
forthcoming implementation of NG911. PEMA and the Pennsylvania State Police have taken a similar
collaborative approach to ensure NG911 and FirstNet are coordinated efforts. PEMA and the PA State Police
have been proactively meeting as part of the Public Safety Communications Council to ensure our efforts are
coordinated are dedicated to making sure NG911 and FirstNet are well-integrated and secure. NG911 and
FirstNet represent a significant opportunity to upgrade the public safety communications system. All
stakeholders have a mutual interest in enabling the public safety community to share critical emergency
information in real time. We look forward to the successful integration of these two important public safety
initiatives.
Fi rstNet Opt-In States as of Oct ober 11, 2017 27 U.S. States/Territories Have Opted-In to Nationwide Network to Transform
Communications for First Responders
Guam Northern
Mariana Islands
American Samoa
,•
Conducting State Plan Review
• Made decision to opt-in to FirstNet
© 2017 AT&T Intellectual Property_ All rights reserved.
-.... -US Virgin Islands
Puerto Rico
Side-By-Side Comparison of Deploying a FirstNet-Compatible Radio Access Network (RAN)1
Category: Expense
CAPEX: eNodeBs, Backhaul equipment, Other infrastructure
OPEX: Operate for 25 years
Maintenance, tech refresres, security upgrades, ard reconstitution of the RAN fdlovving potential degadation or loss: Over 25 years
Program Execution Risk: Delays, Compliance
Spectrum Acc~ss to Band 1 4
Program Administration
Public Safety Adoption Target(s): Proportional to State
RAN Integration with the RrstNet network, including testhg, certification, and re[Xlrthg costs
Device and Applications Management over 25 years
Time to Deployment
Category: Network Services
Coverage
Priority/Pre-emption
Customer Care
Cybersecurity
Deployables: Disaster Response, Network Augmentation
In-Building Coverage solutions
Local Control
Category: Other
Devices, including testing , certification, and reporting
Applications
Opt-In (FirstNet Provided)
No cost to state
No cost to state
No cost to state
No cost to state
-------
Not applicable
No cost to state
No cost to state
N/A
No cost to state
Immediate access to existing AT&T network with Priority access over LTE bands and Pre-emption for first responder subscribers by end of 2017.
Opt-In (FirstNet Provided)
AT&T current footprint plus 5-year deployrrent w1tl-out. pus expmsion over nexi 20 yrs. post inrtial deploy.nent
Immediate access to existing AT&T network with Priority access over LTE bands and Pre-emption for first responder subsc1·ibers by end of 2017
FirstNet (Federal) Customer Care Organization Oversight & AT&T Dedicated, FirstNet-specific. US-based customer care center 2417 /365
End to end security with dedrated Security Operations Center (SOC), netv\IQr'~ monbng, cyber response
Access to fleet of AT&T NOR deployables for disaster response as well as 72 dedicated FirstNet BC14 deployables ---------Access to in excess of 6000 Distributed Antennas Systems & 32.000 Wi-F1 Hotspots ------------ ------Access to Public Safety portal
Opt-In (FirstNet Provided)
AT&T portfolio with market influence of AT&T for future devices and cost.
Dedicated Public Safety App Store
Opt-Out (State Financed)
State responsible tor cost
State responsible for cost
State responsible for cost
State responsible for cost
State responsible for yearly tee under spectrum lease agreement with FirstNet that is coterminous with FirstNet's contract with AT&T
State responsible tor cost
State responsible for cost (mandatory, incl:..iding disincentive payments)
State responsible for cost (solution-dependent and likely to change as upgrades occur along w/ continual testing. certification, & r8porting requirements)
State responsible for cost
Due to statutory opt·out process, there is estimated to be at least a two·year delay until constll.ciion can begin on the 1·adio accP..ss network in the state.
Opt-Out (State Financed)
Dependent on state build·out schedule
Dependent on state build-out schedule and only priority/pre-emption over Band 1 4 unless partner provides other bands.
State responsible
State responsible
State responsible
State responsible
----- -- ------State responsible
Opt-Out (State Financed)
Dependent on state solution. Could be limited to BC14
Dependent on state solution
1 This list in not meant to be an exhaustive or comprehensive list and is informational in nature only to help provide context to states as they make an opt-in v. opt-out decision
Key Steps - National Deployment
Opt-In/Opt-Out Process
Governor Accepts
Firs1Net Pla1 1
No
90 Days
No additional action required by state
240 Days
OPT-IN
OPT-OUT