For Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) and Command Centres, the recording of interactions are mission critical – they require solutions that purpose built for these environments. The solutions must be easy to deploy and maintain but can also scale from simple single site centres to complex, multi-site environments. It must be purposefully designed for the functional requirements, the technologies found in and the rigours inherent to these environments. And, it is paramount that these systems are reliable.
With intuitive configuration and administration, the Xentrax recording solutions for Public Safety Answering Points (PSAP) and Command Center is able to capture, store, manage, organize and replay audio interactions. Moreover, our solution is flexible and cost effective – able to reliably capture, record and synchronize 911 calls – including digital, analog and VoIP calls, conventional and P25 radio, text-to-911 interactions, video, images, console screens, locations from Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and feeds from other sources such as CCTV Video. Our solution delivers:
- Support for Transitional NG911 Networks with SIP trunk logging
- Designed to NENA’s i3 standards assuring readiness for tomorrow
- Advanced Call Finder: precision searches that leverage expanded metadata via CAD, D-Channel and other integrations; quickly find calls based on Caller ID, call duration, date and time, user name, incident type or ID, marked calls and a host of other metadata.
- Powerful reply capability: support for instant recall or incident reconstruction.
- Foremost security features: AES Rijidael 256-bit encryption, MD5 fingerprinting and other features.
- Superior Resiliency: multiple redundancy options are available including N+1, 2N configurations
- Plan based call retention: automatically archive or purge recordings based on plans
- Flexible storage options: select the right storage solution for your needs [SAN/NAS, EMC Centera, NetAPP Snaplock] using one of 10 available compression algorithms available people.
PSAP Recording Solutions & Command Centres
FAQ
Learn more about the market leading Public Safety Software solutions offered by the Xentrax team by reading through our most frequently asked questions for further guidance. If you have any further questions regarding our services, reach out to one of our team members directly or by filling out our online form for more information.
What does PSAP mean?
PSAP stands for Public Safety Answering Point and is a call centre responsible for answering emergency 911 calls for police, fire or ambulance (EMS) services. The PSAP operates 24/7 and is staffed with trained 911 personnel responsible for dispatching the appropriate emergency services or transferring calls to the appropriate emergency response agency for the dispatch of services. PSAPs are an integral element of the across-the-board crisis communications strategy and plays a considerable function in public safety.
When 911 calls are made, the call itself is transmitted through a telecommunications service provider’s originating network. This telecommunications network is also responsible for carrying calls related to other services. The 911-specific call is then routed to an exclusive 911 network before it is answered by a local public safety answering point system. Further, these specialized 911 networks also route supplementary information, including the telephone number and location of the caller. These systems deliver augmented functionality and dependability along with decreasing the possibility of overcrowding emergency communication lines.
At Xentrax, our recording solution for public safety answering points and command centre has the capacity to collect, store, supervise, categorize, and replay audio communications between all points of contact. These recording abilities include:
- 911 Calls
- Digital, analog, and VoIP Calls
- Conventional and P25 radio
- Text-to-911 interactions
- Video, images, console screens,
- Locations from Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
- Feeds from other sources, including CCTV Video
What is a secondary PSAP?
There are three types of public safety answering points in Canada:
- A primary PSAP is the location that receives 911 calls before directly dispatching emergency services or transferring the call to another agency in the area for dispatch to the appropriate location.
- A secondary PSAP is a dispatch emergency responder that receives forwarded 911 calls from a primary PSAPs location.
- A third PSAP, or backup PSAP, is a contingency contact centre that operates in the event there is an influx of emergency 911 calls, a planned outage has taken place, or a widespread catastrophic event has occurred.
Essentially, a PSAP has the ability to take on more than one function. For example, a primary PSAP may also serve as a secondary PSAP. At the same time, a primary or secondary PSAP can also operate as a substitute for another primary or secondary PSAP dispatch centre. These various responsibilities can be on a permanent or provisional basis, subject to the operational circumstances at hand. The ultimate goal of having three types of public safety answering points in Canada is to ensure that members of the Canadian public are able to reach emergency services at all times without having to wait.
What is a PSAP boundary?
The immediate usage for the PSAP boundary is to direct 911 calls in a specified environment. Each PSAP Boundary defines the geographic area within a given 911 authority’s jurisdictional area of a PSAP that has primary responsibilities for an emergency request. Depending on formerly established local government provisions that outline a PSAP’s principal jurisdictional zone, the PSAP boundary may contain data for one or multiple cities, townships, or partial areas.
With Xentrax’s Public Safety Call Recording Software, a primary or secondary PSAP call centre is able to accurately collect, store, supervise, organize, and replay audio communications within a prespecified geolocation boundary. Ultimately, a PSAP boundary is used to ensure call centres do not get overwhelmed with emergency calls as 911 operators work in a crisis atmosphere where incoming calls must be addressed promptly and details reported in a precise and timely manner. By doing so, emergency services are able to react to emergency situations within their jurisdiction quickly to guarantee the protection of the public at all times without worrying about backlogs on emergency calls.
What is a PSAP first responder?
A PSAP first responder is the first person a caller will speak to during an emergency situation when they call 911. This PSAP first responder is also known as a 911 dispatcher. Their job is to speak with 911 callers calmly to collect as much information as possible regarding the emergency situation at hand. This information includes the location and name of the caller, a description of the emergency situation, and whether law enforcement, fire, ambulance, or other emergency services are required at the scene.
These individuals have special and thorough training requirements that enable them to work through crisis situations, including talking callers through life-saving medical interventions. In addition, they are also responsible for prioritizing calls based on the level of urgency at hand. PSAP first responders are able to open multiple phone lines at once to maintain an efficient line of communication at all times. As such, they are an integral aspect of public safety.
What is PSAP on caller ID?
In the event that someone accidentally calls 911 or the line cuts out, PSAPs first responders are responsible for immediately calling the individual back. PSAPs accurately record the caller’s phone number through their computer software. When you receive a call back from a PSAP, it will show on your caller ID as 911 Emergency Services. Should the caller not be able to answer the phone call from the PSAPs first responder, the 911 dispatcher will connect with the local police station to send emergency services to the location of the caller in case of emergency.
Do you require public safety answering points for your emergency call centre location? Xentrax delivers a selection of products and services, including next-generation call recording, incident reconstruction, CAD integration, quality assurance, reporting, analytics, and evidence that require automation. With the assistance of Xentrax, your emergency call centre can streamline and organize your internal operations for the future.
Speak with a Xentrax representative or contact us by using our online form, and a member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible.
We look forward to working with you.
To learn more about how we can help, please contact Xentrax today.
