Press Release: 911 SAVES Act Passage Overdue

iCERT Joins Major Public Safety Organizations Recommending Vote

Washington, D.C., July 9, 2019 — The Industry Council for Emergency Response Technologies (“iCERT”) expresses its strong support for the 911 SAVES Act, a bill introduced in the U.S. Senate (S. 1015) and the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R. 1629). The 911 SAVES Act recognizes the critical role provided by our nation’s 9-1-1 telecommunicators, and appropriately requires these jobs to be reclassified as “protective services.” Enacting this legislation is long overdue.

“During times of emergency, our nation’s 911 systems operated by 911 telecommunicators are at the heart of emergency response. They deserve our support and respect, and the 911 SAVES Act recognizes just how important these professionals are to the process. iCERT joins the many other voices in public safety urging Congress to pass this vital legislation,“ noted Kim Robert Scovill, the Industry Council’s Executive Director.

U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (MN) and Richard Burr (NC), both longstanding public safety advocates, introduced S. 1015. U.S. Representatives Norma J. Torres (CA-35), the only former 9-1-1 dispatcher serving in Congress, and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1), introduced the identical H.R. 1629. The bipartisan SAVES Act would reclassify 9-1-1 call-takers and dispatchers from “Office and Administrative Support Occupations” to “Protective Service Occupations” in the Office of Management and Budget Standard Occupational Classification catalog. [link to the legislation https://bit.ly/2KQRJOI].

Since its founding in 2005, iCERT remains the exclusive provider-only trade association championing commercial emergency response technology organizations. iCERT improves the public safety ecosystem through continuous new funding advocacy, ensuring that the needs and views of commercial technology providers are recognized and accommodated by all levels of government, driving continuous technology improvements, education, and helping our members reach their organic and marketplace growth objectives.

July 12, 2019 UPDATE: The provisions of the 9-1-1 SAVES Act were included among numerous amendments to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the House of Representatives on 7/12/19.

July 16, 2019 UPDATE: 911 SAVES Act passes House, moves to Senate

The 911 SAVES Act passed the House of Representatives last week as part of the National Defense Authorization Act and is poised to move to the Senate. "[W]e hope all members [of the Senate] will support this non-partisan, cost-free measure that reflects the respect and support the American public has for its 9-1-1 professionals, who answer more than 240 million calls for help every year," says National Emergency Number Association CEO Brian Fontes