Delaware
Delaware 911 system adds live video streaming, photo sharing capabilities
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Delaware is upgrading its Enhanced 911 system to include features that will allow callers to stream live video, send photos and use real-time text translation during emergencies. These enhancements are designed to improve communication between callers and first responders, enabling faster and more effective emergency response.
With the upgraded system, 911 callers will be able to share images directly from their phones, stream live video and communicate through real-time translated text. The system includes TTY capabilities and is fully compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Authorities say these capabilities will help dispatchers better assess emergencies such as vehicle crashes, medical incidents and fire scenes.
Public demonstration of new E911 in Dover
The Dover Police Department is among the first in the nation to adopt the upgraded technology, according to state officials. Gov. Matt Meyer and Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security Secretary Joshua Bushweller will attend a demonstration of the system’s new capabilities at the Dover Police Department on April 17.
All municipalities are already connected to the Enhanced 911 system, and the state’s Public Safety Answering Points are expected to fully implement the new features by 2026.
How E911 calls are handled
The Enhanced 911 system automatically displays a caller’s location and phone number at a public safety answering point, which handles emergency calls in their designated coverage areas. Delaware operates nine PSAPs, each responsible for answering all 911 calls in their respective regions. To ensure timely response, the system requires PSAPs to transfer calls to the appropriate agency within 10 seconds.
Delaware voters first approved the creation of the Enhanced 911 system in 1988. It is funded through a 60-cent monthly surcharge on telephone lines, established by the state Legislature in 1994.
You can contact staff reporter Anitra Johnson at ajohnson@delawareonline.com.