For Policymakers - Lake Gaston 911 Task Force

On July 1, 2025, Board Chair Dr. Melissa Hartman met with the regional representatives for North Carolina Senators Ted Budd and Thom Tillis, John Tayloe and Trey Lewis respectively. The senators have been supporters of the LKG 911 Task Force for many years and requested an update on our activities and needs. Dr. Hartman shared our many accomplishments in 2024 including development of Teach Children to Call 911 resources, our mascot Rex the Rescue Retriever, the number of CPR and First Aid classes provided, first aid kits distributed, and the launch of our Neighbors Helping Neighbors program. Dr. Hartman shared a save the date request for their offices’ attendance at the 2nd LKG 911 Task Force Legislative Symposium scheduled for October 3, 2025. She also shared the legislative priorities including 911 telecommunicators reclassification to first responders (911 SAVES Act), supporting accredited curricula for 911 telecommunicators (and other first responders) in high school and college curriculum, funding support for enhanced benefits for 911 telecommunicators and paid first responders, and support for rural broadband and infrastructure (e.g. cell towers) to improve NexGen e-911 communications. Senator Budd (NC) is a member of the Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus that was formed in 2003 to educate lawmakers, constituents and communities about the importance of citizen-activated emergency response systems.

Executive Team Members Meet with Virginia Legislators

Executive Director Sherry Herzing and Board Chair Melissa Hartman traveled to Richmond, VA, on February 19, 2024, to the state capitol to meet with several legislators about the Task Force priorities. They met with three delegates from around the state including Delegates David Reid HD28, Otto Wachsmann HD83, and Deborah Gardner HD75. We are working on scheduling meetings with several state senators next to discuss the same issues. Del. Reid has been supportive of the Task Force since its

inception and he worked to get language in the 2020 special session I budget bill that created the Regional Advisory Committee (RAC) and subsequent publication of the E-911 Border Response Workgroup Report in April 2021. Herzing was an integral part of the initial standup of the RAC and creation of the report. Herzing and Hartman continue to participate in the RAC as citizen members helping to find solutions for the report findings and to be the citizen voices speaking for our first responders and telecommunicators.

This current meeting in Richmond was to discuss gaps that continue to exist in the 911 system, particularly in rural areas, where people are not getting the help they need – and sometimes they die. The “asks” of the legislators were for their support for legislation for the 2025 General Assembly to address some of the most urgent findings and recommendations from the report. The Task Force’s top priorities include adopting a state-wide centralized governance structure for PSAPs for consistency in capabilities and performance, reclassification of telecommunicators to first responders to address compensation, recruitment, retention, and training, and creating an education pipeline from middle school to high school to post graduate training for telecommunicators. The legislators were very interested in the Task Force’s work and support the priorities we discussed. Each Delegate presented different ideas for how we can work together to advance some of these initiatives.

Task Force Executive Members Meet with NC Legislators

The mission of the Lake Gaston 911 Task Force is to educate the public in order to help save lives and aid in improving the 911 operations in our rural areas. In support of that effort, Sherry Herzing (founder and executive director of the Task Force) and two members of the LKG 911 board of directors recently met with Trey Lewis and David Webb, the regional directors for North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis and Congressman Don Davis, respectively, to discuss issues impacting rural 911 systems…Read more

How You Can Help

Federal Level

Champion and support:

9-1-1 infrastructure upgrades including working broadband in all rural areas
Integrate emergency response agencies, help ensure seamless communication/ cooperation.
Support Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus

State Level

Champion and support:

VDEM staffing and funding requirements to assist localities implementing NextGen 9-1-1 technology
Reclassification of telecommunicators to first responders to address compensation, recruitment, retention, and training

Local and Municipal

Champion and support:

Funding and resources to update PSAP technology and NextGen 9-1-1 implementation
Build coalitions and partnerships for interjuristictional efficacy
Build and support pipeline of trained first responders to address critical staffing needs

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