US County dials out analog 911

LONGMONT, USA: Intrado Inc., a subsidiary of West Corporation and a provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions, announced the upgrade of call-handling equipment for 41 emergency call taking positions in four separate public safety answering points (PSAP)s for Maricopa Region 911 (Maricopa) in Arizona.

An Intrado customer for the past seven years, Maricopa will replace the current analog call-handling system with the latest Intrado VIPER, Power 911 and Power MIS IP call-handling solutions. This new call-processing system provides Maricopa County with greater control and flexibility for all types of calls and is the next step in setting the foundation for an IP-based, i3-ready platform.

As the press release added, Maricopa will benefit from VIPER’s modular architecture, which allows components to be distributed for maximum efficiency. Individual call takers will have improved control of call display with Intrado Power 911, VIPER’s graphical user interface (GUI). Power 911 gives call takers the ability to choose and change on-screen layouts, color schemes, line and trunk appearances and other characteristics based on their individual preferences.

Further, with Intrado Power MIS, Maricopa PSAP directors, managers and shift supervisors will now have advanced reporting and analytical tools for a comprehensive view of PSAP call-handling activity and greater insight into personnel performance. Liz Graeber, administrator–Maricopa Region 911 said, "We are excited to work with Intrado on implementing the latest in 9-1-1 call-handling technology for our PSAPs. We look forward to gaining better operational and maintenance efficiencies with the new system, and setting the stage for future NextGen 9-1-1 capabilities."

As per Michael Lee, vice president–Intrado Inc., "Maricopa Region 911 has been an Intrado customer for many years, and we are excited to be working with them on this key project. With its market-leading versatility, i3 compliancy and flexibility to integrate with nearly any ESInet infrastructure and multiple vendor interfaces, VIPER is the right choice for Maricopa Region 911.

The increased capability and functionality Maricopa Region 911 will have with the new VIPER and Power 911 systems will help them be even more efficient and effective today, and sets the stage for a seamless transition to NextGen 9-1-1 in the future.