County serving as a pilot for next-gen 911

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent editor

Van Wert County is one of 10 Ohio counties chosen as a pilot county to implement lifesaving Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1).

NG9-1-1 modernizes how Ohioans interact with 911, allowing citizens to text and use smartwatches and other wearable technology to contact 911. NG9-1-1 technology also saves critical seconds when Ohioans call emergency services by reducing the number of call transfers between 911 call centers by more precisely pinpointing the location of callers using cell phones.

According to a statement issued by Governor Mike DeWine’s office, following its successful implementation in the 10 pilot counties, the Ohio Department of Administrative Services will expand the NG9-1-1 technology into 15 additional counties to help get critical information to first responders more quickly during emergencies.

In addition to Van Wert County, Athens, Carroll, Champaign, Columbiana, Harrison, Monroe, Morgan, Union, and Washington counties are now fully implementing NG9-1-1. Counties that have now begun the onboarding process include Allen, Belmont, Fairfield, Guernsey, Hardin, Hocking, Jackson, Jefferson, Marion, Muskingum, Noble, Perry, Pickaway, Ross, and Vinton.

“I am pleased that Van Wert County was able to be one of first pilot counties to operate on the NG9-1-1 system,” Van Wert County Sheriff Tom Riggenbach said. “We are excited to be experiencing the improved location information from cell calls during emergency situations. The ability to use text as a way to communicate with people as part of NG9-1-1 is also a benefit our dispatchers are experiencing.”

“To be able to have improved efficiency in our 9-1-1 system benefits our dispatch centers, our law enforcement agencies, and our fire/EMS agencies,” Riggenbach added. “These improved efficiencies, for all of our first responders, then benefit the citizens we serve.”

Statistics from Washington County, one of the first counties in Ohio to fully implement the system, demonstrate the impact of NG9-1-1 on saving time by reducing call transfers. Since implementing NG9-1-1, call centers in the area have noted significant increases in correctly routed calls, and fewer emergency calls are being unnecessarily routed to and from the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. Between December 17, 2024, and June 30, 2025, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office experienced a 42.7 percent decrease in wireless 911 calls compared to the same time period the previous year.
 
“Our pilot counties have taken more than 44,000 calls to date through the new system, and the reduction in transfers is saving critical time during emergencies,” said Kathleen C. Madden, director of the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS). “We look forward to assisting additional counties as part of this vitally important project that is already transforming Ohio’s emergency response capabilities.”
 
“The most important function of government is to protect its citizens, and Next Generation 9-1-1 is a critical investment to protect the safety of Ohioans and help our local law enforcement agencies,” said Governor DeWine. “When Ohioans are experiencing an emergency, they deserve to know that help is on the way quickly, and that’s exactly what Next Generation 9-1-1 does.”
 
The DeWine administration has made continued investments into NG9-1-1, including $62 million over the last two bienniums for the infrastructure, ongoing support, and onboarding of new counties.
 
The Office of First Responder Communications Initiatives within DAS is managing the state’s long-term strategy for migration to NG9-1-1.  The next step for the office is to ensure the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Ohio Department of Natural Resources are fully operational and integrated with the system.
 
“These are essential upgrades that improve the ability of our law enforcement community to respond quickly and accurately to emergencies, and we are incredibly pleased to partner with DAS to add Next Generation 9-1-1 to our tool chest at the Patrol,” said Andy Wilson, director of the Ohio Department of Public Safety.
 
Ohio’s remaining counties that have yet to migrate to the system have five years to do so.