The FCC mandated that by December 31, 2008 VRS and IP Relay service providers must deliver emergency calls to PSAPs via the existing 9-1-1 networks. This includes providing on the ANI/ALI screens the callers registered location and callback number, as well as other specific data.
The National Emergency Number Association (NENA) and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International have collaborated to develop an important training package for 9-1-1 communication centers throughout the United States. This training will provide 9-1-1 call takers with vital information about 9-1-1 calls from individuals who may be deaf, deaf-blind, hard-of-hearing, or have speech disabilities. Included in this package are materials to assist you in educating your call takers about potential emergency calls using VRS or IP Relay Service.
The training package includes the following documents, available below.
- Cover letter from Brian Fontes, NENA CEO, and George Rice, APCO Executive Director
- Overview of VRS and IP Relay Services
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Model Standard Operating Procedure Guidelines
Emergency call and regular call demo videos involving video relay are available.
NENA and APCO continue to develop additional materials to help educate 9-1-1 communication centers and public safety professionals about these changes. It is the goal of all parties involved to assist in saving lives and we appreciate your support and guidance.
FCC Issues Second Report and Order Concerning 10 Digit Numbers and E9-1-1 Issues for Internet-Based Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Providers
On December 19 the FCC released a Second Report and Order addressing numerous issues related to the provisioning of 10 digit telephone numbers and E9-1-1 service for TRS providers. In response to a joint petition filed by NENA and APCO, the Commission clarified that a TRS caller assistant may relay background visual and auditory information regarding an ongoing emergency to assist emergency personnel in responding to an emergency Video Relay Service (VRS) call.
| Document | Size |
|---|---|
| Cover Letter from Fontes and Rice.pdf | 85.53 KB |
| Overview.pdf | 277.24 KB |
| FAQ.pdf | 88.66 KB |
| Model SOP.pdf | 83.88 KB |