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State library briefing: NextGen 911 will rely on county GIS; Madison County data ranks highly
Summary
Montana State Library staff briefed Madison County commissioners on NextGen 911, said the system will use standardized GIS datasets to route calls, and praised Madison County's GIS data quality while urging ongoing QC and coordination ahead of expected contract signings to begin implementation.
Michael Fway and Bob Cochran of the Montana State Library told Madison County commissioners that Next Generation 911 replaces legacy landline-based call routing with an IP-based system that depends on accurate GIS data such as address points, road centerlines and administrative boundaries.
"Next generation 911 ... replaces all that legacy copper line analog phone technology and makes that telephone or the 911 network all IP based," Michael Fway said, explaining why counties must meet data standards and run quality-control checks. Bob Cochran added that the state funds tools and an analyst to help counties validate datasets and that Madison County’s files scored in the high 90s on the state’s report card: "Madison County GIS department's credit, they've done a lot of work and it's looking really good."
Staff described a cloud-based QC tool that allows local GIS staff to upload datasets, run validation checks and produce downloadable "report cards" and PDF summaries. The state library has a dedicated 10-year appropriation that supports a 911 GIS analyst and vendor QC tools used by Primary Administrative Partners (PAPs).
Speakers also noted cross-use of GIS datasets for "geo-enabled" elections management, meaning address points prepared for 911 help define election precincts and voter boundaries. The presentation concluded with a timeline update: state staff said they expect near-term progress after a large contract (reported to be with Motorola) is signed to begin IP-network setup for NextGen 911.
Commissioners thanked the presenters and had no immediate requests for action beyond continuing coordination with county GIS staff. Madison County staff were asked to maintain engagement with state QC workflows as NextGen implementation advances.
