NEW YORK, April 11, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Emergency Communication Centers (ECC) beyond North America are plagued by serious staffing and technology challenges, according to the second annual The Pulse of 9-1-1 State of the Industry Survey posted today by Carbineworld leader in cloud emergency call management, and NENA: The 9-1-1 Associationthe only professional non-profit organization focused solely on 9-1-1 operations, technology, education and policy issues.
The 2024 study sheds light on pressing issues of understaffing, technology gaps, and the well-being and mental health of ECC staff.
Despite the high stress and staffing challenges, a whopping 87% of those surveyed said they “loved” or “liked” their jobs. However, the data points to some harsh realities: 75% of ECCs do not have the budget to grow their workforce, and even those with the funds available face significant obstacles in recruiting and retaining employees. Worryingly, 82% of recruitment centers are having difficulty filling vacancies and 50% of trainees fail their probationary period.
The staffing crisis is compounded by the fact that nearly all (99.2%) respondents reported that their centers receive calls from both administrative lines (10-digit or 3-1-1) and emergency lines (9-1 -1), and between 60% and 75% of their total call volume comes from such calls.
The data further highlights the disproportionate issues faced by women in the field, who make up the majority of the workforce and experience higher levels of stress and less representation in senior roles. Respondents adopted a wide range of coping strategies to cope with their stressful roles, from negative tactics such as binge drinking, self-isolation and escapism to more positive strategies such as engaging in hobbies, exercise, prayer and time with family or homework favorites.
“There’s an undeniable strain on people who are.” first public safety first responders, the human voice on the line during a crisis,” said Brian Fontes, CEO of NENA. “Severe staffing challenges persist at 9-1-1, from difficulties recruiting new staff to retention issues and a mature workforce that is showing signs of stress and burnout.”
Also, outdated technology continues to be a problem in ECCs across the country. More than three-quarters of the centers experienced outages that prevented them from receiving 9-1-1 calls. Only 24% of ECCs can accept incident images such as live video. Those who use incident images (64% vs. 48%) believe they can reduce stress by providing a more accurate picture of what is happening. And despite the widespread adoption of WhatsApp or other instant messaging services, less than 27% of ECCs can communicate through these channels.
Amir Elichai, CEO of Carbyne, noted, “The overwhelming response to the Pulse Survey reveals the critical state of the 9-1-1 industry. We can and must do better. This invaluable data paints a clear picture of the key challenges in 9-1-1 and the areas needing immediate attention to ensure the resilience and effectiveness of emergency communications.”
Methodology
Building on the seminal 2023 survey, this year’s effort explores more deeply the challenges and opportunities in the ECC landscape in North America. The 2024 survey garnered an impressive 36% increase in participation, with 1,335 responses highlighting changes in staffing, technology, training, mental health and diversity. This surge of engagement underscores the community’s commitment to addressing the critical issues facing ECCs today. The 52 question survey combined with a live online event on April 11comes at the start of National 9-1-1 Education Month (April) and National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week (April 14-20). The survey received responses from 9-1-1 operators, dispatchers, supervisors, IT managers and leaders in United States.
Click here to access Carbyne and NENA’s 2024 Pulse of 9-1-1 State of the Industry Survey.
About Carbine
Carbyne (Headquarters in New York, New York) is a leading global provider of cloud solutions for mission-critical contact centers. Carbyne is one of the largest providers of rich data for emergency response centers, providing more 250M data points per year, all on a single platform Our technologies enable emergency contact centers and select businesses to connect with callers as well as connected devices through highly secure communication channels without the need to download a user application. With a mission to redefine emergency collaboration and connect the dots between people, enterprises and governments, Carbyne provides a unified cloud-based solution that delivers live, actionable data that can lead to more efficient and transparent operations and ultimately save lives . With Carbyne, every person matters. Learn more at carbyne.com
About NENA: The 9-1-1 Association
NENA: The 9-1-1 Association is the only non-profit professional organization focused solely on 9-1-1 operations, technology, education and policy. We represent tens of thousands of hard-working 9-1-1 first responders who help people in crisis and play a vital role in nearly every emergency. Through our collective efforts, NENA ensures that 9-1-1 is prepared to meet the needs of anyone seeking emergency assistance by developing the standards that make the 9-1-1 system work, providing training and best practices for 9 -1-1 professionals and educating the public and policymakers about 9-1-1 and its proper use www.nena.org.
SOURCE Carbyne
