Dual Purpose 9-1-1 Backup Center: A New Model for Resilience and Education

Sustema
25 minutes ago
3 min read

Morris County, New Jersey, has established a state-of-the-art 9-1-1 backup center within a local educational facility, combining emergency response capabilities with hands-on educational opportunities for students.

Spearheaded by Dennis Snyder, 9-1-1 Services Manager and Coordinator for Morris County, the project was largely funded by federal grants. This dual-purpose back up facility ensures resilience for 24/7 9-1-1 operations while maintaining a training environment.

Its innovative design, featuring automated systems for redundancy, has received positive feedback and is seen as a potential model for public safety agencies nationwide.

Location, Location

The decision to place the backup center at a local educational facility stemmed from a critical need to break away from traditional models. Dennis Snyder, Services Manager for Morris County’s regional PSAP, explained the rationale:

"Our existing backup center was only a mile away from the main site.

In the event of a power or telecommunications failure at the main site, we would lose service at the backup as well. We needed geographic and infrastructure separation. The local educational facility, already a partner for emergency response like the COVID-19 vaccination rollouts, provided the perfect setting. It is positioned on a different power grid; separate telecommunications network and boasts ample space and facilities to support emergency operations. ”

Funding and Community Support

The project was funded through a combination of federal grants and supported by the counties capital projects, the local educational facilities involvement also has potential for educational grants that could be explored further for program expansion.

A Dual-Purpose Design: Training Meets Readiness & Opportunity

The backup center is designed with redundancy in mind. Unlike the previous backup site, which was merely an extension of the primary center, this new location can operate independently.

It features its own radio core, phone systems, CAD systems and emergency power, ensuring that even if the main center goes offline, the backup remains fully functional. "We started with the mindset of putting a big red X on our main center; “How would we stay operational if it went down?" Snyder explained. “This self-reflection about our operations lead to resiliency planning from limited to complete loss of the main site functionality and connectivity. ”

Additionally, a partnership with an educational facility is found to be mutually beneficial. The

educational facility can offer credited electives in emergency communications, providing students with exposure to the field and a direct pathway to employment.

The state certified communications trainers from Morris County will instruct the courses. "It’s comparable to trade schools in that students are receiving the same state certified training as a new hire at any 9-1-1 center throughout New Jersey. They get hands-on experience and real-world exposure” Snyder noted.

The Future of 9-1-1 Training and Resilience

Morris County’s dual-purpose 9-1-1 backup center helps set the precedent for public safety

communications nationwide. This model not only strengthens community resilience but also

provides career pathways for students entering public safety fields.

Snyder notes that this idea is not unique to Morris County. However, this approach has potential of expanding in other regions, driving educational partnerships and resilient infrastructure to deliver standard practices for emergency preparedness.

As the backup center becomes fully operational, Morris County is another center proving that with strategic planning and innovative partnerships, public safety can be both stronger and smarter.