Public Safety Answering Point

A Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) is a facility equipped and staffed to receive 9-1-1 emergency calls from the public, determine the appropriate emergency response, and dispatch police, fire, emergency medical services, or other first responders to the incident location. PSAPs serve as the critical first link in the emergency response chain, operating 24/7/365 to ensure every emergency call receives immediate professional attention regardless of time, weather, or concurrent incident volume.

The SUCCESS for BEAD Act incorporates the PSAP definition from Section 222 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 222) and establishes PSAPs as a subset of the broader "emergency communications center" category eligible for BEAD remaining amounts. The Act's extensive Next Generation 9-1-1 provisions require states pursuing NG9-1-1 funding to certify coordination with each PSAP in their jurisdiction, designate a single statewide point of contact for implementation, and develop comprehensive plans addressing interoperability, cybersecurity, and multimedia processing capabilities.

Legacy PSAPs were designed for landline voice calls and cannot fully utilize modern smartphone capabilities—precise GPS location, text messaging, video transmission, or connected vehicle crash data. BEAD-funded PSAP infrastructure modernization enables Text-to-911 capability for situations where voice calls are dangerous or impossible (domestic violence, active shooter scenarios, deaf callers), Video-to-911 for enhanced situational awareness, and IP-based call routing that ensures calls reach dispatch even when primary network paths fail. Single-site PSAPs represent critical infrastructure vulnerabilities; redundant PSAP facilities with automatic failover ensure 911 service continuity during facility emergencies, cyberattacks, or natural disasters.