The Okaloosa County Department of Public Safety has upgraded to Airbus DS Communications‘ VESTA® 9-1-1 Call Handling and VESTA® Router solutions.
This transition from traditional analog technology to a completely IP-based system allows Okaloosa County to better manage its 9-1-1 emergency calls and Public Safety communications, while placing it on an accelerated path to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).
The combined solutions give the County the capacity and technology to accept new forms of 9-1-1 calls, including text, and future forms of data such as images and video.
(The most significant changes in Public Safety Communications is occurring now. Are you ready? Courtesy of Airbus DS Communications and YouTube)
Okaloosa County, located in northwestern Florida, along the Emerald coast, has 26 total Call Handling positions.
Seventeen are based in the county’s Emergency Communications Center, which serves as the main Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP), among seven PSAPs. Together, they manage 123,000 emergency calls annually.
“Having a partner like Airbus DS Communications makes our transition to NG9-1-1 as seamless and painless as possible,” said Christine Cooper, 911 Coordinator for the Okaloosa Department of Public Safety.
“We now have the right solutions and team in place to help protect our communities in Okaloosa County, as well as to more easily adapt and grow as Public Safety communications evolve.”
(Learn More, as Hassan Al-Rubaie of the Mid-America Regional Council explains the excitement and ease of transitioning PSAPs to Next Generation 9-1-1 utilizing the VESTA 9-1-1 solution. Courtesy of Airbus DS Communications and YouTube)
Okaloosa County, recently upgraded its Call Handling system to the VESTA 9-1-1 solution, as well as migrating to the IP-based VESTA Router solution.
The VESTA Router solution provides advanced call routing to direct incoming emergency calls to the appropriate PSAPs and agencies.
This includes Voice Over IP (VoIP), wireless and wireline traffic. IP call routing is a crucial component of NG9-1-1 as legacy selective routers begin to reach end-of-life and end-of-support, putting 9-1-1 communications at risk.
“Next Generation 9-1-1 is on the horizon, and in many respects, it’s already here. PSAPs have a tough job in readying their people, processes and technologies for the transition,” said Airbus DS Communications’ President and CEO Jeff Robertson.
“We’re thrilled to work with municipalities like Okaloosa County that are meeting the challenge head-on. Together, we’re developing a system and network that fits their needs and advances the ways they keep their communities safe.”
The VESTA® product suite provides Next Generation 9-1-1 call processing systems, land mobile radio solutions and emergency notification applications, creating smarter ways to keep all our communities safe.
Additionally, Airbus DS Communications was awarded the Frost and Sullivan’s 2016 Best Practices Award as the NG9-1-1 Company of the Year.
