Message from Missouri’s 911 Service Board Executive Director

Message from the Executive Director

Hello all! As I look back on 2024 as a whole, I reflect on many of the successes and challenges this year has been filled with. Throughout 2024 the 911 Service Board and staff have been managing as a priority the NG911 and GIS grant programs. Working through these grant processes have presented both excitement by brining much needed enhancements to Missouri’s 911 infrastructure but also a learning process for both the board and staff. 

Many of you know me. I like to focus on the positives and we’ve had plenty of those in 2024 and to start 2025. With everyone’s help, we’ve met the challenge of allocating all of the 30 million dollars in grant funds throughout Missouri’s PSAP’s. We’ve enhanced capabilities in many needed areas in Missouri and finally achieved the decade’s long goal of eliminating underserved “Red” counties in our state. This provides true ANI/ALI capabilities eliminating 10-digit rollover lines in the remaining counties that prior to these grants were not able to do this. Furthermore, we have been able to provide communications officers throughout the state’s PSAPs with much needed lifesaving tools to help our citizens and first responders in times of crisis. Through regionalization efforts and enhancing NG911 and GIS infrastructure we have taken a huge step forward in helping save Missouri citizens lives.

In 2025 I have been reaching out to all of our grant awarded regions and project managers both virtually and in person to keep up with the many projects currently working. One quick reminder that came up with one of our regions who was going live last week is to remember to label any grant purchased equipment with a “purchased with grant funds inventory tag”. I have also been working with our grant awarded vendors and they have provided me with full project implementation timelines and phases of expected completion. As this process moves forward, I’ll continue to meet and work with all project managers, PSAP’s and vendors as a liaison to monitor project progress and work thru issues that will most likely arise with the implementation of new technologies.

Speaking of new technologies, the boards cybersecurity grant process is in full swing. Currently, our cybersecurity committee is reviewing all of the 911 Service Board’s cybersecurity RFP vendor responses. These will be scored and committee recommendations will go to the board for the grant to be awarded. I’m very excited for the opportunity this service will provide by helping our PSAP’s through the education, awareness and importance of cybersecurity. Stay tuned.

Lastly, I’d be remiss if I did not mention some of the other board initiative’s happening. Our training committee has been very active working with Virtual Academy to upload courses from fall MPSCC and multiple other items of interest. I simply wouldn’t have enough time to mention everything the Board members themselves, the staff members and committees are doing on a daily basis to move our state 911 interests forward on multiple fronts. I thank and applaud everyone’s efforts on every front. We have an amazing team and I’m very excited to see what we are all able to accomplish in 2025!

Thanks,

scott.cason@missouri911.org

GIS Data Remediation Grant Update

The GIS Data Remediation Grant – 31 counties have applied thus far and the Board has approved GIS Data Remediation Grants for 58 applicants representing 67 counties.

GIS Aggregation and Validation Portal Status

• The Missouri NG911 GIS Portal continues to accept and process GIS data uploaded from local entities. To date there have been 90 login requests, 60 data submissions, and 46 datasets have received data validation reports.

Save the Date – Emergency Communications Goes to Jefferson City on April 15th

The Missouri Chapters of APCO, NENA and the Missouri 911 Directors Association will host Emergency Communications Goes to Jefferson City 2025 on Tuesday, April 15th during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.

During this event, attendees will have the chance to make a positive impact on the emergency communications profession though firsthand advocacy on topics such as reclassification, first-responder mental health and NG911 funding.

If you’re interested in attending, please contact your relevant association leadership at MO-NENA, MOAPCO, or the 911 Directors Association.

FCC Adopts Rules Requiring Georouting for all Wireless calls to 988

The Federal Communications Commission approved rules on October 17,2024, that will require all U.S. wireless carriers to implement georouting for calls to the 988 Lifeline. These rules will facilitate access to the 988 Lifeline’s critical local intervention services by requiring wireless providers to implement georouting solutions for 988 calls to route wireless calls to local crisis centers based on the geographic area associated with the origin of a 988 call rather than by area code and exchange, while protecting the privacy needs of the caller. The Commission also approved a proposal to require covered text providers to provide georouting data for 988 text messages. DOC-406700A1.pdf

Rethinking EMS staffing and delivery: National organizations’ white paper applies evidence and data to redesign response models

Earlier this month, the Joint Task Force on EMS Response Staffing Configurations – a collaborative of national emergency medical services (EMS) organizations – published a white paper, Rethinking Emergency Medical Services: Applying Evidence and Data to Redesign Response Models for a Resilient and Sustainable Future.

The 7-page paper provides recommendations that are based on patient outcome data from peer-reviewed studies analyzing the impact of response times and EMS staffing levels. By incorporating this research, the guidelines offer evidence-based strategies to improve patient care while optimizing resources.

The white paper recognizes that the current EMS model prioritizes short response times and ALS staffing. It cites recent evidence-based research indicating that response times have minimal impact on patient outcomes in most cases, with only 6.9% of EMS patients requiring potentially life-saving interventions. The ongoing staffing crisis underscores the need for a more sustainable, data-driven approach to system design.

The white paper was released by the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians (NAEMT). The Task Force included representation from NAEMT, the Academy of International Mobile Healthcare Integration (AIMHI), the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, the International Association of Fire Chiefs, the International Association of Fire Fighters, the National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians, the National Association of EMS Physicians, the National Association of State EMS Officials, and the National Registry of Emergency Medical Technicians.

Access the white paper at NAEMT.org.

MO 911 Social Media Updates

MO911 is pleased to announce the revamping of our social media pages. You may have noticed new photos and content being posted on both our Facebook and Instagram accounts (Now linked below on our bulletin emails). Connect with us online and stay connected with news & events taking place within the MO911 Community.