Video summary
The video highlights the significant technological upgrade at Cal State LA's 911 dispatch center, known as a Public Safety Answering Point, which has transitioned to Next Generation 911 systems. This modern emergency communication platform allows dispatchers to seamlessly receive and share critical information such as texts, photos, videos, and data, ensuring that calls for help are routed directly to the appropriate personnel. By moving away from traditional copper lines, the center now operates on a robust digital network that offers enhanced security and reliability, effectively eliminating vulnerabilities associated with aging infrastructure like copper theft or storm damage.
This transition has provided tangible benefits to the community, including improved response times and greater peace of mind for students, faculty, staff, and visitors. One dispatcher noted that the new system gave them "two more winks of sleep at night" by removing the risks posed by old technology in an area prone to copper theft and severe weather. The ability to shave time off the response chain means that help reaches individuals in distress faster, ultimately leading to life-saving outcomes or better overall results for those calling 911.
The implementation of NextGen 911 represents a forward-thinking approach where Cal State LA serves as an early adopter setting the tone for the future of emergency services statewide. Collaboration with partners like Callowas has been instrumental in ensuring that these calls are handled consistently, quickly, and accurately, regardless of whether they are large-scale emergencies or small personal crises. This partnership underscores a shared commitment to protecting people by strengthening the most vital aspects of public safety infrastructure.
Ultimately, the shift to this modern digital network is about building a safer environment for everyone connected to the campus and surrounding communities. By embracing this advanced technology, Cal State LA ensures that every second matters in the path between a cry for help and a life-saving response. The experience demonstrated that when organizations prioritize reliable service and innovative solutions, they can create a resilient system capable of handling any emergency with confidence and efficiency.
Read the full video transcript
911. Where's your emergency?
>> When every second matters, the path
between a cry for help and a life-saving
response must be fast, accurate, and
reliable. At Cal State LA, that path got
a major upgrade. That transition is to
next generation 911, a modern emergency
communication [music] system that allows
dispatch centers to receive and share
information like texts, photos, videos,
and data. For CalState LA's 911 dispatch
center, also known as a public safety
answering [music] point or PAP,
dispatchers can receive calls seamlessly
and directly.
>> What it means is that when people call
for help, the call goes where the call
needs to go [music] and the people who
need to pick up that call are able to
pick up that call directly. being able
to deliver these calls consistently,
[music]
quickly, accurately, showing the proper
location uh to get people the help that
they needed to get. So, NextGen 911 was
able to solve that problem for us.
>> Us transitioning to [music] NextG, it
actually gave me uh two more winks of
sleep at night. There was um you know,
copper thefts in the area [music] and
things like that and that affected us.
This takes us to the next level where
we've long since stepped away from uh
you know your traditional twisted pair
to you know copper lines. Our community,
our students, faculty, staff and guests
would be [music] happy to know that we
have stepped away from uh the old
technology cuz just you know even a bad
storm could affect those lines. With
NextGen 911, Calstate LA's dispatch
center has transitioned away from aging
copper lines and now operates on a
modern digital network that enhances
their ability to respond, providing
better security and reliability. As an
early adopter, they're setting the tone
for the future of 911, and Callowas is
working side by side with centers like
this to ensure reliable, modern service
statewide. that technology really does
[music] expedite getting help to the
member of the community who's calling
for help. When we can shave, you know,
[music] time off of that response chain,
it gets help to the to the person who's
calling 911 faster and ultimately that's
going to end up saving lives or getting
better outcomes. It was a great
experience working with the folks uh on
the Callowasa side when uh approached
them with, hey, we have an opportunity
to save lives. They understood how
important it [music] was to get these
911 calls where they needed to be
>> and that gives us the opportunity
[music] to respond immediately to those
calls. Big or small, when they push that
button, it's big to that person. This
new technology strengthens what matters
most, protecting people. With NextGen
911, Cal LA is building a safer
environment for students, staff,
faculty, visitors, and surrounding
communities, supported by Callowas's
commitment to delivering reliable
service statewide.