911 Call Centers Will Get More Funding With Surcharge
Harrisburg, PA – The Shapiro Administration announced today that funding for the Commonwealth’s 61 county-based Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), commonly called “911 centers,” is on track to meet or exceed the April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025, projection of $370 million. The 2024 second quarter revenue for 911 centers was $97.1 million which exceeds the projected $92.5 million quarterly revenue total.
“Our PSAPs, and the dedicated staff who answer the call 24 hours a day, are the backbone of the public safety network in Pennsylvania,” said PEMA Director Randy Padfield. “This revenue increase affirms the Shapiro Administration commitment to supporting their long-term, sustainable growth as we continue to build out cutting-edge Next Generation 911 technology.”
In 2023, Governor Shapiro signed Act 34, which extended the Commonwealth’s 911 program through January 31, 2029. A critical component of Act 34 increased funding by an estimated $47.7 million per year by increasing the monthly phone surcharge for 911 services from $1.65 to $1.95 from March 1, 2024, through January 31, 2026. The fee increase was necessary to counter the increasing costs of providing quality 911 services across the Commonwealth.
Since 2015, the surcharge has been integral to support the planning, coordinating, testing, and implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911) service across the Commonwealth. NG911 includes many of the services that callers expect as mobile network technology improves, such as Text-to-911 and improved caller location data. Plans to continue the improvement of 911 service in Pennsylvania include behind-the-scenes improvements and cost saving measures, such as regionalization of services used by individual county PSAPs, better Geographic Information System (GIS) data, and building out redundant systems to ensure seamless information sharing.
“Both the callers who need assistance and the first responders who will provide the help they need are benefiting from this funding,” said PEMA Deputy Director for 911 Greg Kline. “It is our mission to make sure they have the best information, tools, and resources they need to do their jobs to keep residents and visitors safe across Pennsylvania.”
There are approximately 2,500 PSAP telecommunicators in Pennsylvania, and they answer approximately 15.2 million requests for emergency assistance annually. Many counties are facing staffing shortages and are looking to hire additional staff. Anyone interested can learn more about PSAP careers on the PEMA website.