NEW CASTLE - On Wednesday, September 24th, the New Castle County 911 Center has upgraded its phone system, provided by Intrado, to the Viper 7 software. This new software enables all call-processing tools to be housed within one program, creating a more efficient and streamlined experience for operators and callers.

"Our commitment to technology allows us to continue to provide our Telecommunicators with all the tools necessary to better serve the citizens of New Castle County," said Emergency Communications Chief Donald W. Holden. "This commitment allows us to have faster emergency response times, better information sharing between dispatch and our first responders, and an improved caller experience during stressful situations."

County Executive Marcus Henry added, "By continuing to invest in technology and innovation, we're ensuring that our 911 Center remains among the most advanced in the region - capable of providing quick, accurate, and compassionate service to every resident who calls for help."

The update enhances several key functions of the 911 system, including:

• RapidSOS Integration: Provides extremely accurate and continuously updated location information for cellular phones accessing 911.
• Video-to-911 Capability: Operators can now request an image or video stream directly from 911 callers.
• Smart911 Profiles: Caller profiles now populate through the Intrado software, giving Public Safety Operators instant access to information a caller may have uploaded to their profile.
• Live Text Translation: The Text-to-911 service now includes automatic language detection and translation for texts in 42 different languages, translating both the caller's message into English and the operator's response back to the caller's language.

Through the end of September, the New Castle County 911 Center has processed 436,992 emergency and non-emergency calls for the year; an average of 48,554 calls per month, or 1,594 calls per day.