Accomplishments

9-1-1 Enhanced Features: Denco became one of the first 9-1-1 systems in Texas to implement new and enhanced technologies adding functionality to the call-taking process. Citizen Input is a new feature allowing dispatchers to receive photos, videos and live streams from 9-1-1 callers, which can aid in emergency responses. The Smart Transcription feature transcribes voice audio from calls into a real-time text transcript, allowing the dispatcher to quickly retrieve important details. Calls in multiple languages can automatically be translated into English text.

i3 Call Delivery: Denco achieved full implementation of the NENA Next Generation 9-1-1 i3 Standard for 9-1-1 call processing. This industry technical standard, established by the National Emergency Number Association, defines the structure and elements of software, databases, network elements and interfaces needed for end-to-end delivery of emergency calls and data. The successful i3 migration prepares the district for improved call delivery and interoperability as carriers transition to this new standard.

Location Based Routing Project: Wireless 9-1-1 calls in the Denco district are routed to the appropriate emergency communications center using location information from the caller’s device. In Fiscal Year 2024, Denco staff established a program to test and document the accuracy of this Location Based Routing process. Project results were presented at state and national 9-1-1 conferences. The project drew widespread attention in the public safety field, affirming Denco’s status as an industry leader in 9-1-1 technology and implementation of best practices.

Indoor Mapping Availability: The GIS Indoor Mapping project, which provides building floorplan data to dispatchers, expanded substantially in Fiscal Year 2024. Floorplan data from all UNT, TWU and NCTC college campuses were fully integrated with 9-1-1 software, adding to the existing dataset of public schools and government buildings. Denco staff conducted an outreach campaign targeting individual apartment complexes, helping yield over 100 floor plans for inclusion in the dataset.

PulsePoint AED Expansion: Denco reached district-wide implementation of the PulsePoint AED locator tool, with all primary emergency communications centers now able to look up nearby AEDs during a cardiac emergency 9-1-1 call. The AED database totaled nearly 450 entries by the end of Fiscal Year 2024. Denco staff are set to grow the database further through partnerships with private businesses, public safety agencies and school districts throughout the District.

 

Telecommunicator Training & Testing: Denco held over 100 telecommunicator training courses and exceeded 20,000 training contact hours in Fiscal Year 2024, as numbers continue to trend toward pre-pandemic levels. The training catalog included several new courses identified in the annual Training Needs Analysis, emphasizing mental health and wellness for dispatchers. The district improved on its strong pre-employment testing program for prospective dispatchers, migrating to a cloud-based CritiCall aptitude exam and administering over 200 pre-employment tests to aid in ECC recruiting efforts.

Public Education: Denco staff attended and supported over 50 community events, reaching more than 50,000 citizens with 9-1-1 education on tips, best practices and enhanced features. The district expanded its school outreach through additional back-to-school event attendance and a back-to-school safety item delivered to more than 50,000 Denton County elementary schoolers. Denco also strengthened its virtual presence through new educational outreach engagements and the implementation of a monthly social media plan, setting the foundation for consistent engagement growth.

Public Safety Partnerships: Fiscal Year 2024 saw Denco make advances in its public safety partnerships, in both the public and private sectors. Staff organized educational sessions with participants from Leadership Lewisville, Flower Mound Citizens Academy, Lewisville ISD Career Out and Elderly Service Providers of Denton County. Staff also hosted school district safety and security officials to discuss statewide legislation and Denco public safety initiatives, in addition to a meeting with local hotel managers to discuss pertinent safety programs. Denco maintained engagement with various area chambers of commerce, including sponsorships and presentations for chambers in Aubrey, Flower Mound and Lake Dallas.

Analytics & Network Stability: Through new analytics programs and a new 9-1-1 Data Analyst position, Denco expanded its data monitoring capacity in Fiscal Year 2024. The district is providing more monthly data to ECCs, in an improved format for the centers’ use in quality control. These efforts support more effective monitoring of the 9-1-1 system, as staff now have more tools to track network performance and help identify issues before they impact 9-1-1 operations. A comprehensive cybersecurity review ensured the district is maintaining best practices for 9-1-1 network security.