Landmark initiative strengthens Maryland’s emergency-communications workforce and sets a model for other states

NENA: The 9-1-1 Association and the Maryland 9-1-1 Board recently announced a groundbreaking partnership that grants every 9-1-1 specialist and support professional in Maryland membership in NENA.

Funded through the Maryland 9-1-1 Trust Fund, this initiative ensures no cost to individuals or local jurisdictions while providing vital access to professional resources that support and elevate Maryland’s public-safety workforce. With this statewide membership, Maryland’s 9-1-1 specialists will be better equipped than ever to serve their communities and meet the demands of an evolving public-safety landscape.

"This investment in our 9-1-1 professionals reflects our commitment to supporting the people who serve as Maryland’s first first responders during emergencies," said Ross Coates, Chair of the Maryland Association of Counties Emergency Communications Committee and Division Chief for the Harford County 9-1-1 Center. "By providing access to all that NENA offers, we’re empowering our 9-1-1 specialists with the tools and knowledge they need to continue delivering exceptional service to Marylanders."

Click here to read more. 

Plan now for a year of learning, connection, and impact with NENA’s signature events! Whether you’re digging into standards, advocating on Capitol Hill, or discovering what’s next at our flagship Conference & Expo, NENA has something for everyone in 2026.

🛠️ NG9-1-1 Standards & Best Practices Conference + Critical Issues Forum | January 11–16, 2026 | New Orleans, LA
Explore and help build the latest standards and technical solutions and dive into the emerging hot-button issues in emergency communications. nena.org/sbp & nena.org/cif

🏛️ 9-1-1 Goes to Washington | February 22–25, 2026 | Arlington, VA
Join the national conversation and advocate for the future of 9-1-1 with lawmakers and leaders. nena.org/gtw

🌟 NENA 2026 Conference & Expo | June 27–July 2, 2026 | Columbus, OH
The biggest and best week in 9-1-1 is back! This is the can’t-miss event of the year for 9-1-1 professionals to learn, grow, connect, and discover. nenaconference.com

More information on all three events coming this fall! 

Measuring Progress: Data Collection and Evaluation for 9-1-1/9-8-8 Interoperability
Thursday, August 28 | 12PM Eastern
FREE! Click here to register!

Attend this final webinar of a three-part series exploring findings from Clear Pathways’ Crisis Response Pilot for 9-1-1 PSAPs and 9-8-8 call centers. This session focuses on evaluating 9-1-1/9-8-8 interoperability and using metrics to support continuous quality improvement among the partners. Participants will hear key findings from Mathematica’s evaluation of the pilot, including common data reporting challenges and recommendations to strengthen future evaluation and implementation efforts. Attend to:

• Discover the key findings from Mathematica’s evaluation of the Crisis Response Pilot for 9-1-1/9-8-8 interoperability;
• Identify common data collection and reporting challenges faced by PSAPs and 9-8-8 call centers; and
• Explore how evaluation metrics can inform continuous quality improvement efforts in 9-1-1/9-8-8 collaboration. 

Presenters: Cal Jenkins, MS - Assistant Director of Research and Evaluation, Clear Pathways | Robin Lindquist-Grantz, PhD, LISW-S - Director of Measurement & Evaluation, Clear Pathways; Senior Researcher, Mathematica | Katie Hancock - Research Analyst, Mathematica | Natalie Porter - Research Analyst, Mathematica

CEUs: Attend this webinar and receive one-half ENP re-certification point. 

Webinar Access Info: Dial-in and web-access details provided automatically via email upon registration.

NENA is pleased to announce the publication of the NENA Public Safety Communications & Railroad Interaction Standard Operating Procedures. This standard aids PSAPs, railroad control centers. and railroad personnel in the development and implementation of standard operating procedures for emergencies that involve railroads or railroad assets.

Thank you to the PSAP & Railroad Interaction Working Group members for committing their time and expertise to the revision of this important standard.

Prepared and provided by the United States Air Force, the F-35 Mishap Information for Civilian First Responders document serves as an aid for any emergency services organizations responding to an incident involving an F-35 fighter jet.

The NENA Standards for 9-1-1 Professional Education document guides institutions that are developing or have developed 9-1-1 professional education programs and ensure consistency with the curriculum.

Members of the Working Group are to download the document and submit comments by going here and then select Add a Comment from the Edit icon drop-down menu. All others are to download the document and submit comments by going here and then select Add a Comment from the Document Actions icon drop-down menu.

Please complete all requested data and Save or, if submitting multiple comments, select Save and Add Another.

If you are providing editorial comments, such as corrections to typos, grammatical errors, style/numbering errors, and incorrect references/links to documents, please document them under one comment and list the page and line number for each. If the correction is within a table, provide the table name and page number of error and specific details of change.

All comments are due by August 11, 2025. You may contact NENA Committee Resource Management with any questions or concerns. 

The NENA Standard for NG9-1-1 GIS Data Model defines the Geographic Information System (GIS) data information, structure, requirements, and related information used in NENA Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) Core Services (NGCS).

Members of the Working Group are to download the document and submit comments by going here and then select Add a Comment from the Edit icon drop-down menu. All others are to download the document and submit comments by going here and then select Add a Comment from the Document Actions icon drop-down menu.

Please complete all requested data and Save or, if submitting multiple comments, select Save and Add Another.

If you are providing editorial comments, such as corrections to typos, grammatical errors, style/numbering errors, and incorrect references/links to documents, please document them under one comment and list the page and line number for each. If the correction is within a table, provide the table name and page number of error and specific details of change.

All comments are due by August 11, 2025. You may contact NENA Committee Resource Management with any questions or concerns. 

The NENA NG9 1 1 GIS Data Model Templates are a direct interpretation of version 3 of the NENA Standard for NG9 1 1 GIS Data Model (NENA STA 006.3 202Y). The primary purpose of the GIS Data Model Templates is a common data structure for data exchange between agencies or their vendors.

Members of the Working Group are to download the document and submit comments by going here and then select Add a Comment from the Edit icon drop-down menu. All others are to download the document and submit comments by going here and then select Add a Comment from the Document Actions icon drop-down menu.

Please complete all requested data and Save or, if submitting multiple comments, select Save and Add Another.

If you are providing editorial comments, such as corrections to typos, grammatical errors, style/numbering errors, and incorrect references/links to documents, please document them under one comment and list the page and line number for each. If the correction is within a table, provide the table name and page number of error and specific details of change.

All comments are due by August 15, 2025. You may contact NENA Committee Resource Management with any questions or concerns. 

In August 2019, the FCC adopted rules implementing two federal laws that strengthen emergency calling: Kari’s Law and Section 506 of RAY BAUM’S Act. Under FCC rules, Multi Line Telephone System (MLTS) installers, managers, and operators must ensure that MLTS:

• Allows direct dialing of 9-1-1, without a requirement for the caller to dial any prefix or access code such as the number 9;
• Provides central notification that a 9-1-1 call has been made; and
• Provides certain information about the caller’s location with the 9-1-1 call so that first responders can quickly locate the caller.

In an effort to promote awareness and compliance with the FCC’s 9-1-1 MLTS requirements, the FCC's newly-released fact sheet provides additional information on these requirements, including a decision tree to help you determine whether you are subject to the rules, exemptions that may apply, and where to find additional guidance and resources to assist you.

The NENA 9-1-1/988 Georouting (US) Working Group seeks volunteers to assist with a targeted update the NENA Standard for 9-1-1/988 Interactions. The update will align the standard with current federal wireless georouting legislation and is targeted to content related to regulatory updates. The updated standard will remain an ANSI-approved document and will be subject to all document development rules associated with the ANSI process.

Subject matter experts with a variety of expertise are sought to support this effort, from the public safety and private sector. NENA is seeking both operationally- and technologically-focused individuals with knowledge and experience in public safety, 9-1-1, 988, and related technologies. Voting members in all interest categories (User, Producer, and General Interest) are needed. Section 3 Document Development Process of the NENA Development Group Operational Procedures provides detail on each interest category. All voting members are expected to participate actively in the working group efforts and to vote.

Calls are held every other Wednesday and will continue until the content updates are complete.

Click here to volunteer!

The Telecommunicator CPR Working Group is tasked with the review of the NENA Telecommunicator Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (T-CPR) Standard.

The working group seeks operational and technical subject matter experts in the User, Producer, and General Interest categories, as defined in Section 3 Document Development Process of the NENA Development Operational Procedures. Ideally the work group will include participants with:

• PSAP and dispatch operations experience in handling, dispatching, or responding to Telecommunicator CPR incidents.
• Emergency medical response experience.
• Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD) protocol developers and SMEs.
• Deployment and support experience of 9-1-1 industry products and services.
• Others with a vested interest in Telephone CPR standards.

Meeting day/time is to be determined.

Click here to volunteer.