PERF states, “… the United States is on the cusp of the biggest revolution in emergency communications since the first 911 call was made nearly 50 years ago.  Next Generation 911 and FirstNet technologies are poised to fundamentally change how the public communicates with the police and other emergency services; how agencies communicate with their officers and with one another; and how agencies communicate back to the public. Once fully implemented, these technologies will speed up emergency response times and improve public safety and officer safety.

The Revolution in Emergency Communications summarizes a day-long meeting PERF held on June 16, 2017, in Washington, DC, to explore the future of emergency communications. Beyond the NG911 and FirstNet technologies themselves, the 150 participants spent much of the day examining the issues that police chiefs and other public safety officials will need to address if they are to be successful in this new environment—issues such as policies, procedures, and workflows; staffing, training, and other workforce issues; governance structures; and funding.”