What is a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)?

A Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) is a call center or dispatch center that handles emergency calls and coordinates emergency responses. PSAPs are typically operated by local or regional government agencies, such as law enforcement agencies, fire departments, or emergency medical services.

When someone dials the emergency number (such as 911 in the United States), the call is routed to the appropriate PSAP based on the location of the caller. The PSAP personnel, known as telecommunicators or dispatchers, are trained to gather information from the caller and determine the nature of the emergency. They then coordinate and dispatch the appropriate emergency response units, such as police officers, firefighters, or paramedics, to the scene.

PSAPs play a critical role in ensuring public safety by serving as the first point of contact during emergencies. They handle a wide range of emergency situations, including crimes in progress, medical emergencies, fires, and natural disasters. The telecommunicators working at PSAPs are trained to stay calm under pressure, extract vital information from callers, and provide instructions or reassurance until help arrives.

PSAPs may also receive non-emergency calls related to public safety, such as reporting suspicious activities, seeking information about local ordinances, or requesting non-urgent assistance from law enforcement. In some cases, PSAPs may have dedicated lines for non-emergency calls to ensure that emergency lines are available for critical situations.

It's important to note that the specific structure, organization, and operation of PSAPs can vary between different countries and regions. However, their primary function remains the same, which is to receive and respond to emergency calls in order to protect public safety.

A Primary PSAP is equipped with automatic number identification and automatic location identification displays, and is the first point of reception of a 911 call. It may serve a municipality or a region, and other cities and towns as may be determined by the Board.

A Primary PSAP may be located in a centralized, consolidated radio dispatch facility that serves all public safety agencies in a region or municipality. A Primary PSAP may also be engaged in, pursuant to inter-municipal agreements in force, the dispatching, or control pf public safety resources serving several jurisdictions. A Primary PSAP shall be a facility that serves at least two of the emergency services and that operates on a 24 hour, 7 days a week, 365 days a year basis.

A Secondary PSAP is equipped with automatic number identification, automatic location identification displays and all other features common to Primary PSAPs. It receives 911 calls only when they are transferred from the Primary PSAP or on an alternate routing basis when calls cannot be completed to the Primary PSAP.

A Limited Secondary Public Safety Answering Point is a facility equipped, at a minimum, with ALI/ANI display/printout capability. It receives 911 calls only when they are transferred from the Primary PSAP. Data sent to a Limited Secondary PSAP cannot be re-routed to another location and may not necessarily be transmitted simultaneously with the voice call.

A Ringing Public Safety Answering Point is a facility equipped for the receipt of voice communications only, which may not necessarily operate 24 hours each day. It receives 911 calls that are transferred from the Primary PSAP.

How NICE Can Help?

With emergency communications becoming more complex by the day, and PSAP staff turnover at an all-time high, having the insight and time to focus on staff has never been more essential. That’s where NICE comes in. As the single system of record for all your data, we give you more time back in your day to engage with staff. And help you get to the truth that’s hidden in your data faster. With the ability to see everything exactly as it happened, our automated solutions for 911 audio recording and reconstruction, automated evidence production, automated 911 quality assurance and real-time performance metrics put the truth at the heart of everything you do. Whether it’s reconstructing incidents, or empowering your telecommunicators to be the best at what they do. NICE helps you get it right every time.