Oregon’s State 911 program announced that it has opened a new 911 testing lab which will allow for the testing of new 911 system capabilities in a simulated environment before deploying them in live settings.
The new lab, located in Stayton, Ore., features fully functioning dispatcher stations that, when not being used to take actual 9-1-1 calls, serve as a space to test new software functionality. The lab was developed in partnership with the Marion Area Multi-Agency Emergency Telecommunications (METCOM 911) and Willamette Valley Communications Center (WVCC) Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs).
The state explained in a press release that prior to creation of the new lab, operators tested new 911 technology solutions by deploying them live in Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs). However, this approach introduced significant risk to Oregon PSAPs – potentially affecting service availability and compromising the evaluation process – and is generally not considered an industry best practice.
“METCOM’s partnership with ODEM and WVCC has paved a path toward the future of 911 in Oregon,” MECOM Executive Director John Thompson said. “Additionally, as new technologies in 911 continue to emerge, the space and newly installed equipment can be utilized in an environment and tested thoroughly without interrupting operations in other primary ECC’s.”
The Stayton facility serves Marion County as a backup center to ensure 911 call services will still be provided if the primary Willamette Valley Communications Center (WVCC) or METCOM PSAP goes down. By working with the State 911 Program, the facility can now be used to support enterprise technology pre-deployment 911 lab testing capabilities.
“METCOM’s back-up ECC has evolved from a mostly vacant building with a few radios and limited access to fully capable dispatch center,” Thompson, said. “This center is not only a benefit to METCOM and WVCC but can provide the ability for ECC’s from across the state to relocate and access the technology to continue providing call-taking services to their citizens, in the event of a disaster, center evacuation or other needs.”
The state explained that that 911 testing lab fully replicates the infrastructure necessary to support emergency calls from the public. The testing environment uses the same network and equipment currently used by primary PSAPs throughout most of Oregon. It also provides security access controls, facility monitoring, power management, staff facilities, and the delivery of automatic location information.
“We are very excited for this new partnership with METCOM 9-1-1 and WVCC and the launch of the new testing lab capabilities within Oregon,” Statewide 9-1-1 Manager Frank Kuchta, said. “Having access to a dedicated environment to confidently test and validate emerging public safety technologies while ensuring risk is reduced as we undertake significant modernization of the statewide 9-1-1 emergency communications system is invaluable.”
