911 Systems Certification
To establish a new 911 system or to make major changes to an existing system, a county must submit a plan for approval to DMS Telecommunications and Radio Services (TRS). The proposed 911 system design must satisfy the requirements of its Board of County Commissioners and the design requirements in the State of Florida Emergency Telephone Number 911 Plan (911 Plan).
To ensure successful operations statewide, DMS establishes procedures for county compliance with the 911 Plan. Each county must perform the following:
· Verify its compliance with the 911 Plan;
· Seek exemption from the requirements of DMS operational or technical specifications where the county is not in compliance with established CITS standards;
· Receive approval of any proposed alteration to an existing 911 system.
Certification will determine that a county’s 911 system meets minimum technical and operational standards to ensure that citizens have access in all 911 service areas. DMS provides on-site inspections to determine whether a 911 system meets the specified requirements of the State’s 911 Plan.
The county must make a request in writing for any exception to meeting a specific requirement. If the request is denied, the county will meet the specified requirement prior to 911 system certification by DMS. Once a system is operational, the county can request, in writing, certification of its 911 system. DMS personnel inspects all the PSAPs (Public Safety Answering Points) in the system and issues a certificate of compliance for each PSAP that successfully passes inspection.
Click here for the Emergency Telephone Number 911 Plan.