OREANDA-NEWS. August 29, 2014. General Dynamics Information Technology, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has been awarded a contract to develop, implement and operate the Massachusetts Next Generation (NG9-1-1) emergency communications system that will allow emergency personnel to accept service requests through new technologies, providing real-time data and communication.

With this award, Massachusetts becomes one of the first states in the nation to begin transitioning to a statewide NG9-1-1 system that complies with the National Emergency Number Association's (NENA) i3 architecture standards, enabling local and nationwide interoperability so more accurate information can be shared faster with first responders.

Under this contract, awarded by the Massachusetts State 911 Department, General Dynamics will replace the Commonwealth's legacy Enhanced 911 (E911) emergency call-handling system with a secure, IP-based NG9-1-1 system that permits emergency service requests from existing public networks through new and emerging modes of communication and devices.  The system will integrate Geographical Information System data into all emergency service requests to accurately map a caller's location and route these calls and corresponding information to the public safety answering points.

Built on secure cloud architecture, the General Dynamics system will provide superior reliability, redundancy and sustainability, and scale to accommodate emergency communications throughout the Commonwealth.  The company will also train more than 6,000 Massachusetts Public Safety personnel (Police, Fire, Dispatch) and other emergency service organizations.

"This vitally important system transition enhances the safety of 9-1-1 users in the Commonwealth by allowing the public better, easier access to emergency responders," said Massachusetts Public Safety Secretary Andrea Cabral. "It will effectively transform our analog based system into an IP- based system making it compatible with today's changing technology and communication methods."

"Massachusetts is taking a great step forward for its citizens and emergency responders by modernizing its 9-1-1 system to accept an array of new modes of communication," said Charlie Plummer, vice president and general manager of General Dynamics Information Technology's IT Solutions sector.  "Our history of building and operating critical information systems for a range of customers— defense, federal civilian government, health, homeland security, intelligence—gives us the experience to support state and local governments' transition to NG9-1-1 systems."