Vermont’s emergency communications systems need upgrades, new report says

Vermont’s emergency communications systems need critical upgrades, specifically for how the state handles its emergency dispatch calls, according to a a report published this week by the state’s Public Safety Communications Task Force.

The report suggests reducing the number of call centers, upgrading its outdated technology, expanding cellular coverage and implementing a more robust training program to address staff shortages and meet modern standards for operations and security.

Established in 2023 by the state legislature, the Public Safety Communications Task Force was tasked with implementing a reliable, secure and interoperable Statewide Public Safety Communication System, which is designed to be equitably and sustainably financed and universally accessible throughout the state.

“There are opportunities for better integration between the 911, system and the various dispatch centers around the state, both operationally and technically,” Barbara Neal, statewide director for 911 systems in Vermont and co-chair of the task force, told StateScoop in a recent interview.

The report recommends, for example, that Vermont, which has a population 640,000 people, reduce the number of dispatch centers from 37 to just six.

The report found found that 90% of centers are understaffed, which increases the chance that incoming calls need to be transferred, leading to delays during emergency response. The National Emergency Number Association recommends two telecommunication operators on duty at each dispatch center.

Nearly two-thirds of Vermont residents live in a rural part of the state, often with limited cell coverage, which the report argued contributes to the challenges facing its emergency communications system, such as pinpointing the exact location of callers and ensuring a stable connections.

“The 911 board supports any any efforts to expand wireless and coverage in the state and provide whatever opportunities there are for people to have better accessibility to 911,” Neal said. “And through this study, we certainly learned about the challenges of the reduced wireless coverage in certain areas of the state and its impact on our responders.”

Neal said the task force has not made any decisions on the report’s recommendations, but the Department of Public Safety is gathering public comments throughout March, including in two public sessions later this month.

“The task force itself has no preconceived notion of what the future emergency communications landscape will look like in Vermont, so we’re still very much in the in the soliciting feedback stage of this process,” Neal said.