Hi-Tech 9-1-1 Call Center
David Seifman, The New York Post
It took three years longer than planned, but the city has finally integrated emergency police, fire and medical calls at a single location that can instantly display a caller’s location on a map, Mayor Bloomberg announced yesterday.
“It is one of the most advanced call centers in the nation,” the mayor boasted at 911 headquarters in Downtown Brooklyn.
The new system’s cost, originally $1.4 billion, soared to $2.1 billion, partly because its scope expanded, authorities said.
The new 911 system replaces the one in place since 1995.
Until last month, Verizon hadn’t perfected two switches capable of handling 50,000 emergency calls per hour in case of a surge. Normal volume is 1,200 calls.
The new system also instantaneously produces a map of the caller’s address, a function that previously required operators to waste precious seconds opening a new screen.
“When you have half the 911 calls coming in on cellphones, it’s incredibly important,” said Deputy Mayor Cas Holloway.
A $650 million backup Bronx 911 center is due to open in 2015.
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