“This bill improves the speed and accuracy of emergency responders in locating and assisting callers in need of emergency assistance. These moments make a difference between visitors being able to receive quick care and continue their trip or facing more serious medical complications.”
Click here to watch Sen. Barrasso’s remarks
WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), delivered the following remarks at a Senate Energy and Natural Resources Subcommittee hearing on S. 290, the Making Parks Safer Act. The bipartisan legislation, which was introduced by Barrasso and Senators Angus King (I-Vt.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), upgrades National Park Service (NPS) 911 call centers.
The Making Parks Safer Act (S. 290) would equip NPS 911 call centers with Next Generation 911 (NG911) technology, strengthening emergency response capabilities, supporting dispatch center operations, and enabling responders to receive text messages, images, and videos in addition to phone calls.
The subcommittee hearing featured testimony from Mike Caldwell, NPS Associate Director for Park Planning, Facilities, and Lands.
Sen. Barrasso’s remarks:
“I would like to briefly highlight one of my bills on today’s agenda, it’s S. 290 Making Parks Safer Act.
“It’s bipartisan, it directs the Department of Interior to develop a plan to upgrade National Park Service 911 call centers with Next Generation 911 technology.
“The technology enables call centers to receive text messages, images, and videos in addition to phone calls.
“Our country’s national parks receive hundreds of millions of visitors each year.
“In 2024, over 8 million visitors came to our National Parks in Wyoming.
“Folks travel from across the world to enjoy the great American outdoors, and for many families, these memories last a lifetime.
“That is why I think it’s so vital that visitors to these great National Parks have access to up-to-date safety and operational technology.
“Dispatch centers track bear biologists where they are working in the field, they support fire response strategies to mitigate damage to the land, and they ensure operational efficiency so park rangers can do their jobs.
“This bill improves the speed and accuracy of emergency responders in locating and assisting callers in need of emergency assistance.
“These moments make a difference between visitors being able to receive quick care and continue their trip or facing more serious medical complications.
“In the event of a national disaster or technical issue, the call centers would be equipped to forward 911 calls to a center that is able to address immediate visitor needs.
“Our public safety technology needs improvements and resources to ensure that visitors can continue to enjoy our national parks without worry.
“This is a bipartisan bill, it ensures visitors who may need assistance can be reached in an accurate and timely manner.
“These much-needed updates will improve the operations of our national parks and protect the safety of visitors.
“Thanks to Ranking Member King and Senators Hickenlooper and Hyde-Smith for your support of the bill.”
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