Section 1325.415  Answering Points – PSAP, Backup PSAP, SAP and VAP

a)         All 9-1-1 CPE used by a PSAP, SAP or VAP must be compatible with the 9-1-1 system provider's equipment and transport arrangements.

b)         Each PSAP, after consultation with the 9-1-1 system provider, shall designate an area of adequate size to be used by the 9-1-1 system provider for termination of the company's lines and equipment.

c)         The CPE shall indicate incoming calls by both audible and visible signals for each 9-1-1 circuit.  Each outgoing circuit shall have a visual display of its status.

d)         Each 9-1-1 answering position shall have access to all incoming 9-1-1 circuits and outgoing circuits.

e)         The CPE shall be designed to achieve transfers with at least 99.9% completion.  This may require the use of dedicated facilities between the PSAPs.  When the telecommunicator verifies that the transfer has been completed and the telecommunicator's services are no longer required, the telecommunicator may manually release himself/herself from the emergency call, provided that the CPE is so designed.  A 9-1-1 system should be designed so that an emergency call will never be transferred more than once; however, there could be circumstances beyond the PSAP's control that might warrant more than one transfer.

f)         Each answering position shall have direct access to an operational teletypewriter or its equivalent, and all PSAP, SAP and VAP telecommunicators shall be trained in its use at least every six months.  The 9-1-1 Authority will ensure that TTY equipment or its equivalent is available to continue service in the event of emergency, malfunction or power failure.

g)         At a minimum, each PSAP shall have at least two fully equipped answering positions.  The staffing levels and the number of positions beyond this requirement shall be determined by the 9-1-1 Authority based on call volume and average length of calls (i.e., if PSAP is responsible for EMD, call processing could take longer and require additional telecommunicators).  Overflow emergency calls shall be routed to a backup PSAP as provided for in subsection (i).

h)         The 9-1-1 Authority is responsible for ensuring that its PSAPs, backup PSAPs and SAPs provide continuous and uninterrupted operation 24 hours per day, 7 days a week.

i)          Backup PSAP

1)         Each 9-1-1 system shall have a backup PSAP that must operate independently from the primary PSAP.  The backup PSAP must have the capability to dispatch (by either direct, transfer or call relay methods) the appropriate public safety agencies for that 9-1-1 system.  A backup PSAP shall meet the same standards as the primary PSAP, except as provided for in subsection (i)(2).

2)         In a 9-1-1 system with a population of fewer than 10,000, when the system has demonstrated that the requirements of subsections (g), (h) and (i) would place an undue financial burden on the system, the 9-1-1 Authority can ask the Administrator for an exemption from having a full feature, manned backup PSAP.  A 9-1-1 system operating under this exemption should, as funds become available, upgrade its backup PSAP capability to meet those standards specified in subsections (g), (h) and (i)(1).  If the system ever exceeds 5,000 billable access lines for a period of one year, it shall upgrade to meet the standards specified in subsections (g), (h) and (i)(1). For those systems operating under this exemption, some alternative form of backup shall be required.  The backup PSAP requirement may be met by one of the following:

A)        An unattended PSAP shall have:

i)          the capability to provide 9-1-1 service;

ii)          the communication equipment necessary to dispatch emergency services;

iii)         a backup power supply;

iv)         the ability to communicate via TTY; and

v)         the capability to be immediately activated with authorized and trained personnel; or

B)        Some other method that the 9-1-1 Authority must be able to demonstrate, in its request for an exemption, would meet the public safety needs of its community by being able to take 9-1-1 calls and dispatch them successfully on a temporary basis in an emergency situation.

j)          The use of VAPs may be acceptable; however, this must be included as a part of the 9-1-1 system final or modified plan authorized by the Administrator.

k)         All telecommunicators shall be trained in emergency dispatch procedures and 9‑1‑1 SOPs as specified by the 9-1-1 Authority to fulfill the responsibilities of their position, with the following requirements:

1)         Newly hired telecommunicators must receive, at a minimum, an 80-hour training curriculum approved by the 9-1-1 Authority prior to handling emergency calls.  This training shall include two hours of training regarding the handling of sexual assault and sexual abuse calls, for all telecommunicators hired on or after January 1, 2018, consistent with the standards set forth in Section 1325.600.

2)         If emergency medical dispatch is being provided that involves the dispatch of any fire department or emergency medical service agency, additional training must be completed in accordance to the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Systems Act [210 ILCS 50] and 77 Ill. Adm. Code 515 in addition to the 80‑hour minimum.

3)         Continuing education for existing telecommunicators is required in all aspects of emergency call handling and will be specified by the 9-1-1 Authority. This continuing education shall include three hours of training regarding the handling of sexual assault and sexual abuse calls every three years consistent with the standards set forth in Section 1325.600, and must initially be completed no later than January 1, 2019, for any telecommunicators hired prior to January 1, 2018.

l)          The 9-1-1 Authority shall provide for the installation of a master logging recorder of adequate capacity to record both sides of a conversation of each incoming emergency call and any radio transmissions relating to the emergency call and its disposition for each answering point.  These recordings shall have the time of each event noted.  The 9-1-1 Authority may elect to record, on a circuit-by-circuit basis, or by way of the telecommunicator's position.

m)        The 9-1-1 Authority shall ensure that each answering point maintains an archive of the storage media for a minimum of 90 days without recirculation of any media.

n)         When CPE is implemented and is not tolerant of power fluctuations or interruptions, and is vital to the PSAP's, backup PSAP's, SAP's and VAP's operation, an uninterruptible power supply shall be installed at all locations for continuous operation.

o)         All answering point locations must be equipped with an emergency backup power source capable of supplying electrical power to serve the basic power requirements of the answering point, without interruption, for longer outage time frames.  It shall provide a minimum of four hours of power.  The backup power source shall be tested for reliability on a monthly basis.

p)         Each answering point shall have at least one 24-hour staffed telephone number to be provided to telecommunications carrier operators, adjacent PSAPs, and public safety agencies in order to communicate with that answering point.

q)         Answering point employees shall be instructed to be efficient and courteous in the handling of all emergency calls and to comply with the provisions of all applicable federal and State laws in maintaining secrecy of communications.

r)          Each answering point shall ensure that all emergency calls are answered and handled without preference to the location of the caller.

s)         Each answering point should answer 90% of all emergency calls within 10 seconds.

t)          All calls of an administrative or nonemergency nature shall be referred to the appropriate agency's published telephone number.

u)         A current copy of the 9-1-1 Authority's SOPs shall be on file in every answering point.

(Source:  Amended at 42 Ill. Reg. 775, effective December 27, 2017)