PSAPs migrating to IP

Public safety access points (PSAPs) are increasingly shifting to IP-based systems, according to PlantCML, which provides communications solutions to more than 4,000 public safety entities in the U.S. and Canada. The firm announced two adoptions of its Sentinel Patriot IP-based emergency call answering system recently, one in Jasper, Ala., and the other in Campbell Co., Wyo.

Sentinel Patriot helps dispatchers answer and process emergency calls more efficiently by creating redundancies and enabling easier data sharing among local PSAPs. IP-based PSAP systems allow multiple communication types, wireline, cellular, VoIP, etc., to be accessed and processed over the same interface.

PlantCML officials reported that some emergency service providers, reluctant to change to IP-based networks in the past are migrating now that security has increased and the underlying technology is more reliable.

"We're starting to see PSAPs more in tune with the idea that IP is coming whether they want it or not," said Jeremy Smith, technical solutions engineer with PlantCML, in an urgentcomm.com story. "They realize they need to start putting the pieces in place to prepare for that migration. ... Budget cycles are enabling PSAPs to buy solutions and packages to prepare."

Some PSAPs are still worried about hackers and security concerns. But when secure firewalls are implemented as part of the PSAP IP-based communications strategy, first responders can feel safe that they're providing more efficient and accurate service, without damaging security threats.

For more:
- see the urgentcomm.com story here [1]