PSAP Staffing Guidelines Report

The premise on which the study was developed was that no one method for determining staffing needs would suffice given the number of influencing factors, both local and industry imposed. Thus, by combining two techniques, a rational approach and an empirical approach, there is a check on each to increase the robustness of the recommendations created.

The Scope of Work for the study included six primary tasks. These were:

1. Define PSAP profiles
2. Review NENA-developed databases
   a. DOT Project
   b. PSAP Registry
3. Define specific PSAPs to be surveyed
4. Collect data
5. Determine staffing requirements based on call volume
6. Analyze the collected data and create staffing and budget models

In a SWAT Operations Group meeting held April 5, 2003, the survey tool and study objectives were refined and approved.

It was evident early in the study that the desired number of completed surveys and the required profile-specific PSAPs would be slow in being returned or not forthcoming at all. Numerous attempts were made to gather the data from the necessary PSAPs. Additionally, little data relevant to this study could be gleaned from the existing NENA-developed databases.

The result of the limited number of completed surveys caused a modification of desired goals in that the influence of specific factors on call processing could not be validated to the degree intended by the study. These factors included customer premises equipment (CPE) technology level, the presence of four lane highways within 9-1-1 service areas, and the number of wireless subscribers.