9-1-1 networks are primarily closed networks with no access to the outside world. Because of the closed nature of 9-1-1 networks, the attitude towards security in public safety has been ignored. As Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) change over to Next Gen 911 and allow their systems Internet connectivity to the outside world, IT professionals that work with PSAPs will have a new set of information security concerns that previously did not exist. It will be easier in centers that are located in metropolitan areas, as they have more experienced personnel already in place and the money to implement new technologies. For the vast majority of small town and rural PSAPs, this is going to prove a challenge because they lack experience and resources. I will summarize the major concerns for public safety, why they exist, and will have some first hand stories from the trenches of a 9-1-1 call center.
Christine Giglio (@kesseret) is the CAD Administrator for the Bedford County, Virginia department of E-911 communications. Prior to this position, she was the Public Safety LAN Administrator for Bedford County Sheriff’s Office, Fire & Rescue, and E-911 communications for 10 years. Bedford County is a rural joint E-911 center supporting both the Town of Bedford and the County of Bedford with a service area of approximately 762 square miles with a population of 84,000 people. Bedford center’s call volume is approximately 88,000 calls this year with a dispatched calls breakdown of 60 percent being law enforcement, 9 percent EMS, 2 percent fire, and the rest goes to miscellany.