PORTLAND, Maine — The state of Maine will receive $681,000 in federal funding to upgrade its 911 call centers to be faster and allow text messaging, image and video processing, advanced mapping and other improvements.
The funds are among $109 million in grants awarded to 34 states and two tribal nations by the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The grant will allow the state to upgrade 911 call centers to "Next Generation 911" (NG911) capabilities, the U.S. DOT said.
The upgrades will allow call centers to transfer calls, messages and data between public safety answering points.
“Advances in public safety technology will allow critical information to flow seamlessly from the public, through the 911 networks and on to first responders,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross. “These 911 grant awards are a significant step toward a faster, more resilient emergency system.”