The country's outdated 911 infrastructure is woefully failing to serve more than 11 million deaf or hard of hearing Americans, and over 25.7 million people who aren’t proficient in English. Since 911 was established as the universal emergency number in 1968, the emergency call system has remained largely a voice-only technology, leaving our most vulnerable populations with inequitable access to life-saving services.
The patchwork of 911 capabilities across the country stems from the decentralized nature of emergency response systems. As 911 response falls under the purview of state and local governments, this has created a fragmented landscape where one county may have access to new technologies while their neighbors down the road remain limited to legacy voice-only systems.
Recognizing the critical need for modernization, the Federal Communications Commission recently adopted new rules requiring cellphone service providers to upgrade their technology to support Next-Generation 911 (NG911) calls across the country, which enable text, photo and video communications with 911 operators.
While cellphone carriers will soon be required to provide NG911 capabilities, the responsibility still falls to state and local 911 call centers to integrate the technology needed to seamlessly receive and process these new modes of communication. This transformation represents not just a technical challenge, but a moral imperative to ensure equitable access to emergency services.
A major, transformative feature of NG911 is real-time text (RTT), which enables seamless communication for deaf and hard-of-hearing people. Through RTT, individuals can type messages that appear instantaneously on 911 operators’ screens, much like an instant message conversation. This is a dramatic improvement over the obsolete Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) system and will provide immediate relief for these communities to communicate during emergencies without relying on outdated technology.
The benefits of NG911 extend beyond RTT. For example, AI-powered foreign language identification and instant translation tools can immediately recognize a caller’s language and connect them with the appropriate translator in real time. New video capabilities will also allow 911 operators to connect with callers over video and assess situations visually, which can provide critical context that saves lives.
Modernizing 911 goes beyond technological upgrades — it's about ensuring all U.S. residents have equal access to life-saving services. Jurisdictions and states that adopt inclusive assistive technologies will create a stronger, more resilient emergency response network while helping to ease the burden on overworked, understaffed 911 operators.
Some leading communities have already begun this critical transformation. The North Carolina 911 Board last year finalized its transition to NG911, making it only the 10th state to do so. Similarly, the state of Ohio recently began its transition to NG911 when 2 of 10 pilot counties implemented the system. These success stories demonstrate what is possible with commitment and funding, but far too many communities remain stuck in the analog past.
State and local leaders across the country need to make modernization a top budget priority for 2025. The United States today is increasingly multilingual and disability inclusive, and our emergency response systems need to catch up. Regardless of their language, hearing ability or personal circumstances, everyone deserves equitable access to life-saving services.
Modernizing 911 is not just a technical challenge — it’s a moral imperative. NG911 will save lives and create a stronger, more resilient emergency response network.
Rob Farmer is the national director of sales for Vertex NG911 at CentralSquare Technologies. His background includes over 30 years of experience in public safety in Ohio, Texas and Florida.
