As I spend time reflecting on 2024, I am struck by how much I am thankful for in my life at home and work. I am blessed with a wonderful family and truly close friendships. I am also a part of one of the most wonderful work industries, where most are good at heart and a desire to help others. NCT9-1-1 is my work home where we strive to save lives and make a difference by living through our values of heart, courage and attitude. I am blessed with an amazing team of co-workers full of passion and drive to constantly improve 9-1-1 services in our region and throughout the world.
This is not to say my life or work is perfect or without challenges. We all face struggles, and the 9-1-1 industry has faced many in the past few years. Staffing shortages top the chart, but it is followed closely by funding and technological challenges as we continue a transition as a country to Next Generation 9-1-1, which has brought on new complexity and security concerns. In addition, increasing population, weather emergencies, and public safety incidents have increased 9-1-1 call volumes and call response times. All these challenges have threatened the well-being of first field responders, telecommunicators and other 9-1-1 professionals.
2024 found us collaborating as an industry on these challenges and working together on solutions. At NCT9-1-1, we have had a strong focus on planning for a better future through succession planning efforts, working on a sustainable 9-1-1 funding structure, updating our NGCS and technology solutions, and working on many pilots for uses of AI/ML in the 9-1-1 environment. We have used grant funding to replace or refresh existing systems, equipment and services in an effort to reduce and mitigate risks. We are continuing to enhance location technology as we contracted for a 3D/Z Axis solution that will allow us to add the vertical component to 9-1-1 locations. We are also excited to work with the Early Adopter Summit participants on exciting procurement and pilot projects that will help drive the adoption of advanced technology throughout the country and beyond. We continued to work on 9-1-1 Center wellness and staffing issues through several initiatives that focused on the people side of 9-1-1 – caring for and supporting telecommunicators, supervisors and managers. As we celebrate these accomplishments, we also use after action evaluation to capture lessons learned and develop mitigation strategies that allow us to grow and become even better in the future. Our agility through this process is based on experimentation as we believe “anything is better than nothing” and “today is the day to take action and embrace positive change ”. Not only have we survived adversity, but we have come out better than we were before. Living the mission and values of NCT9-1-1 have helped us create a servant leadership culture where we work together as a team and support one another in a family first environment.
This year was also a time to “imagine” which was our word for 2024. In a fast-paced world full of distractions and where devices are always at our fingertips, it is imperative that we stop and take time to just think. This is where creativity is sparked, and we can imagine the future. I was surprised to find I didn’t have any stations pre-set on my car. After having it for a year and despite my two-hour commute each workday, I had not listened to the radio. I used some of the time on the road for phone calls with family and friends and listening to audio books or podcasts for learning, but I spent most of my time thinking and imagining. I considered the opportunities of the future and any roadblocks that needed to be mitigated. This imagination did not end in my car. At NCT9-1-1 we spent some intentional time thinking and then we had the opportunity to collectively brainstorm and engage in healthy debate over numerous issues. Together we were able to come up with innovative projects as well as creative solutions to problems.
Looking forward, I am inspired and excited about our collective vision for the future of 9-1-1. We will continue to prioritize improving our 9-1-1 system through investment in innovation, continuous learning, promotion of education/awareness and partnerships with our industry partners, universities and the community.
As we approach 2025, I have chosen “momentum” as our word of the year. Our team and our industry have started so many great projects that are still in progress. Momentum enhances our mindset of continuous improvement by focusing on keeping things moving rather than getting stuck on setbacks. It allows us to leverage all our small wins towards a bigger picture of success.
Momentum encourages action, experimentation, and a willingness to change courses when needed, which is key for driving innovation. We will be mindful to balance action with reflection and build in moments for rest. We will not sacrifice our strategic planning but will use that process to direct the momentum. We can use it to enhance the foundations we have already built.
On a personal level, momentum can help build and maintain habits, stay committed to goals, and build confidence through consistent progress. Momentum can help foster connection and personal well-being and will rejuvenate us.
Momentum reminds us that the good work we have started is not the end but the beginning of something even greater. It is about sustaining the forward motion we have built and allowing our successes to propel us toward new heights. This year, let momentum be a force that inspires each of us to innovate boldly, collaborate meaningfully, and achieve together. Let it drive us to accomplish the extraordinary while remaining grounded in our values. May we push forward with purpose while we are saving lives and making a difference! Happy New Year!
Christy Williams, Director of 9-1-1