Changes are coming to the 9-1-1 system

The Indio Police 9-1-1 dispatch center is preparing to roll out new software in the near future that will help improve people's access to place an emergency call. This would include people who are attending any one of the large festivals or events brought to the Coachella Valley.

It's going to get easier for the public to access emergency services when the time comes. It's also going to be easier for dispatchers to know more about a situation behind a call.

There are going to be apps and even a button in certain cars that will make getting ahold of a 9-1-1 dispatcher much easier.

“Whether you push a button to call yourself or you’re in a crash.  It can send us what they call crash telematics so we can tell the severity of a crash, how fast you were going, and the likelihood of needing an ambulance," explained Lori Brown, Indio Police's dispatch supervisor.

Brown said that there is going to eventually be new technology that allows you to dial 9-1-1 from rideshare app Uber while on a ride. This would be for someone who is feeling unsafe during their ride. By pushing the button dispatchers will be able to easily access information on the driver, car, and location from when the button was pushed.

Other changes would benefit the Indio Police Department when it sets up a dispatch command center at festivals like Coachella or Stagecoach.

“Right now we are unable to answer 9-1-1 calls when we’re working out in the concert command post," said Brown. "So that puts a burden on our 9-1-1 center in the city who then has to create calls for service that we can see while we’re out there.”

This year the state's 9-1-1 office is going to be visiting the festival's command post to see how new technology will play a large part in the safety of attendees and response time of emergency services.

Brown said in the future there's going to be software that allows them to draw out the parameters of where they want certain 9-1-1 calls to ring straight into the command post at a festival. This will be able to limit the command post to receive calls only from people within those set parameters, which would essentially be festival-goers.

While there is no official roll-out date yet except that it's happening in the near future, already Tulare and Imperial County are starting to see some of these new services.

Eventually, it'll be throughout the entire state of California.