The Peru Gazette

All Counties Outside of New York City to Receive At Least $1 Million Through Noncompetitive Grant Program

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced $85 million in grant funding has been allocated to county level primary Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) and primary PSAP backup centers to prepare for the implementation of Next Generation 911 (NG911) in 57 counties across the state. The NG911 Grant Program is specifically to support call handling equipment to include interfaces and software applications needed for agencies to receive and process incidents with the goal of increasing statewide capabilities to accept NG911 calls in accordance with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) i3 standards. All eligible counties received a base amount of $1 million in funding and the remaining funds were allocated based on population.

“Public safety is my number one priority, and that means ensuring that we have the technology and equipment in place to support our first responders and their quick response to emergency situations,” Governor Hochul said. “These investments will ensure that our 911 systems are operating effectively and efficiently when any New Yorker reaches out for emergency assistance in their time of need.”

In January, Governor Hochul awarded $55 million statewide to enhance emergency communications systems, including $10 million awarded under the Public Safety Answering Point Grant Program, which encouraged the development of NG911 technologies and the Geographic Information System (GIS) data needed for NG911.

Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, “Governor Hochul understands that our 911 systems are key during any emergency, and this grant funding will help New York communities across the state prepare to implement NG911. The professionals who take emergency calls and dispatch responders are our first line of assistance and this funding will help support them with new equipment and software to increase their capabilities.”

New York State Association of Counties Executive Director Stephen J. Acquario said, “The transition to Next Generation 911 technology will significantly enhance our counties’ ability to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies. This $85 million commitment ensures that New York’s counties can implement the digital infrastructure needed to improve response times, enhance caller location accuracy, and ultimately save more lives. We appreciate Governor Hochul’s continued leadership in preparing our state for the future of emergency communications.

The NG911 Grants awarded today are: