Intrado and City of Durham Launch First Next-Generation 9-1-1 Network in North Carolina
New Emergency Services System Provides Durham Residents with More Reliable and Advanced 9-1-1 Communications
LONGMONT, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The emergency communications network supporting more than 267,000 residents in the city and county of Durham, North Carolina is now one of the most technologically advanced and reliable in the United States.
Intrado Inc., a subsidiary of West Corporation and a leading provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions, and the City of Durham today announced the deployment of North Carolina’s first next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) network. Activated in July, the new system provides the Durham Emergency Communication Center with advanced voice capabilities and the building blocks to support text messaging, cell phone pictures, video clips and other data services.
“We’re proud to be the first 9-1-1 center in North Carolina to have a next-generation 9-1-1 network,” said James Soukup, 9-1-1 director of the Durham Emergency Communications Center. “Our new emergency services infrastructure allows us to provide faster and better service, not only to our residents and visitors, but to our emergency responders as well. The NG9-1-1 upgrade will also allow us to collaborate closely and share information with other public safety agencies in the state once they move to this technology.”
The Intrado® Advanced 9-1-1SM network is a secure emergency services Internet Protocol (IP) network that offers improved reliability and more life-saving capabilities than traditional 9-1-1 systems.
“Intrado is pleased to have been part of Durham’s migration from a legacy emergency communications network to the first deployment of NG9-1-1 in North Carolina,” said Joseph Hernandez, senior vice president for Intrado. “The forward-thinking leadership by the City of Durham allows the area to keep pace with today’s rapidly changing consumer communication technologies and help protect its citizens for decades to come.”
The installation of Intrado’s next-generation 9-1-1 system has also enabled the Durham Emergency Communications Center to begin a six-month emergency text messaging trial.
“A voice call to 9-1-1 is still the best way for us to communicate with someone in need of emergency assistance,” said Soukup. “We’re evaluating text messaging because it has become a common way to communicate and would help people who are either deaf or hard-of-hearing, or in situations that would potentially endanger their safety if someone heard them make a voice call to 9-1-1.”
To learn more about the Intrado suite of NG9-1-1 products and services, please contact Intrado today at info@intrado.com or 1.877.262.3775.
About Intrado
In business for more than 30 years, Intrado, a subsidiary of West Corporation, has maintained a focus and passion for saving lives and supporting the needs of public safety. Agencies and telecommunication services providers throughout the world depend on Intrado for emergency communication services and technology. Intrado’s dedicated focus on emergency communications technology allows the company to continue pioneering network innovations that improve emergency response. For more information, visit www.intrado.com. You can also follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest news.
About Durham Emergency Communications Center
The Durham Emergency Communications Center is dedicated to promoting, preserving, and protecting the safety and security of all residents and visitors in Durham. The center provides 24-hour, seven-day-a-week 911 access to residents, visitors, and user agencies in and around Durham County. Services include emergency and non-emergency requests as well as dispatch for police, fire, EMS, and other City/County support agencies. The Durham Emergency Communications Center has earned the internationally recognized APCO Project 33 Certification from the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, Inc., Emergency Medical Dispatch Accreditation by the National Academy of Emergency Medical Dispatch, and accreditation by the Commission for Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies. The center was the first, and currently, one of only three centers in the world to hold these three accreditations simultaneously. To learn more, visit www.DurhamNC.gov/Departments/911.
CONTACT:
Intrado
Alexis Braden
415.264.4143
alexis@abradenconsulting.com
or
City of Durham
Amy Blalock
919.560.4123; Ext. 11253
amy.blalock@durhamnc.gov
KEYWORDS: United States North America Colorado North Carolina
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Technology Data Management Telecommunications Public Policy/Government Mobile/Wireless State/Local
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