LINCOLN- This year, Sens. Wendy DeBoer and John Fredrickson are looking to create additional redundancy in the state's 911 system to thwart future outages. "We're talking about 911," said Fredrickson, "We're not talking about streaming, Hulu or Netflix, we're talking about life-saving emergency services."

The Nebraska Public Service Commission, which handles 911 oversight, testified in support of Sens. DeBoer and Fredrickson's LB1256 and LB1255, which would require a public hearing after a 911 outage and set a timeline for the transition to next-gen 911, respectively. Sheriff Neil Miller of Buffalo County, testifying on behalf of the Nebraska Association of Sheriffs, said any delays in the implementation of next-gen 911 must be avoided.

"Continuing to rely on outdated technology only increases the chances of an outage," said Miller. However, Brian Thompson, who serves on the state's advisory committee related to the next-gen 911 transition, said the change will come at a cost. He estimated that the cost of a company working outside Nebraska's border could require an annual price stage of $15,000 per company, should the transition be made.

For the full article click HERE