NHTSA and Mission Critical Partners collaborate to strengthen nationwide GIS data sharing

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Mission Critical Partners (MCP) will collaborate to assess the current status of geographic information systems (GIS) within the 911 community. The goal of the initiative is to define what is required to achieve interoperable GIS data sharing nationwide. NHTSA selected MCP following a full and open solicitation and comprehensive evaluation of all proposals. The National 911 Program, housed within NHTSA, will lead this important effort.

Thousands of 911 centers in the U.S. have not deployed a nationally uniform, consistent GIS capability or mechanism for sharing GIS data. GIS is an essential element of a truly interoperable, interconnected national Next Generation 911 (NG911) system. In 2019, the “National NG911 Roadmap,” a report published by the National 911 Program, and supported by MCP, highlighted GIS as a significant barrier to achieving a nationwide “system of systems.” The report emphasized the need to develop standards, requirements, and best practices for sharing GIS data. Later in 2019, the program published the “Strategic Plan for 911 Data and Information Sharing,” which also underscored the need for GIS data uniformity.

www.911.gov