Interview with Amanda Winans

1) Tell us something about your career journey or personal experiences that is not included in your official bio.

My public safety career first began with an internship at a regional fusion center in Ohio. The fusion center, a law enforcement bidirectional information sharing hub, is where I found my love for public service. My time there directly influenced my decision to enter the 911 field. During my time as a telecommunicator, my favorite discipline to dispatch was law enforcement. I loved its highspeed nature. I then transitioned to first responder communications in state emergency management as the 24Hr Watch Manager. The 24Hr Watch is North Carolina’s state warning point and bidirectional information sharing hub, which is similar to a fusion center, but focuses on all-hazards, rather than law enforcement only. In addition to being the Watch manager, I am also one of two Deputy Statewide Interoperability Coordinators (SWIC) for North Carolina.

2) What are the key advancements in Next Generation 911 (NG911) that you believe will have the most significant impact on emergency response?

As a Deputy SWIC, who focuses on first responder interoperability, I believe one of the best advancements with NG911 is the enhancement of interoperability between emergency communications centers and first responders. Allowing data sharing, including multimedia data, between centers and responders provides a more holistic view of emergency situations which ultimately promotes responder safety. Additionally, NG911 allows caller (ANI/ALI) data sharing between emergency communications centers, which expedites response times.

3) How is the transition to NG911 addressing the challenges of integrating new technologies with legacy systems?

NG911 replaces old analog infrastructure (copper lines) with digital networks (IP networks), which provide an enhanced pathway that allows real-time data sharing. This upgrade in technology gives way for centers to adopt new technology platforms which enhance caller data sharing, including location data, as well as emergency scene depictions via photos and videos. Additionally, as newer technologies become available, they will require IP-based networks to operate. For example, integrating platforms like RapidSOS increase callers’ ability to provide more personal information automatically (allergies, pets in the house, known medical problems, etc.).

4) What role does data, such as real-time video or text-to-911, play in improving emergency response outcomes?

Allowing emergency communications centers and first responders access to real-time video and picture increases everyone is understanding of active emergency situations by being able to see the scene prior to responder arrival. This vital information can not only influence how responders respond to emergencies but can also assist with investigations. Additionally, having the text-to-911 feature enhances caller safety when they are unable to speak but also has the potential to increase public reporting, as newer generations prefer texting over calling. Both features will provide a more complete understanding of emergency situations and hopefully save more lives.

All that said, I would be remiss if I did not mention the potential outfalls of emergency communications centers receiving pictures and real-time video. One of the biggest concerns I have is the effect of seeing potentially violent images on telecommunicators’ mental health. Telecommunicators are generally not trained to process this type of data. Additionally, introducing real-time pictures and video automatically increases the workload of telecommunicators that are already task saturated. Having to analyze what a caller is saying, what images are depicting, and what videos are showing takes a greater amount of cognitive resources.

5) What are some of the biggest hurdles local governments face when implementing NG911 systems, and how can they overcome them?

One of the biggest hurdles locals face when implementing NG911 is funding. It takes significant funding to replace aging infrastructure with modern digital networks. Additionally, because there are no national standards, it is common to see emergency communications centers operating differently than each other, with different technology and different operating policies and procedures. This makes establishing interoperability between centers challenging, as centers are not starting from the same basic foundations. Overcoming these hurdles takes proactive collaboration between local emergency communications centers and potentially state 911 agencies that can support through best practices, common standards, and financial support. Having these conversations early will streamline the process of switching over to NG911. North Carolina was able to overcome some of these hurdles by having a state-level coordination entity that collects, manages, and funds NG911 initiative via 911 fees.

6) Looking beyond NG911, what emerging technologies do you see shaping the future of emergency communications?

I think the biggest change we will see with emerging technology is the use of AI. AI has the ability to streamline emergency call taking by transcribing caller statements in real-time, providing adaptable call-taking scripts, and enhancing analysts of pictures and videos. AI can be used to triage non-emergency calls and provide basic information to callers. This technology can speed up call taking times, which will ultimately help reduce with processing call times and responder response times. These are just my initial thoughts on current AI capabilities, but as AI continues to make advancements, the possibilities are endless.

7) What can attendees expect to gain from your session at IWCE 2026?

Attendees can expect to gain a better understanding of emergency technology that will aid in the identification of radio frequency interference. Not only will we discuss the technology used but we will cover use cases, team formation, and policy development.

8) What are you most excited about for IWCE 2026, and how do you think the event will impact the industry?

I am most excited to meet and network with others in the first responder communications community. Being able to learn from leaders in the field will not only enhance my personal knowledge and capabilities, but events like this ultimately breed better collaboration across the field. Communication and collaboration between differing subject matter experts can only further enhance our field.