Fla. Stat. § 365.171 — Florida Code / Title XXVII / Chapter 365 / Section 365.171
365.171 Emergency communications state plan.
Status: in_force

(1) SHORT TITLE. — This section may be cited as the “Florida Emergency Communications State Plan Act.”

(2) LEGISLATIVE INTENT. — It is the intent of the Legislature that the communications number “911” be the designated emergency communications number. A public safety agency may not advertise or otherwise promote the use of any communications number for emergency response services other than “911.” It is further the intent of the Legislature to implement and continually update a cohesive statewide emergency communications plan for enhanced 911 services which will provide citizens with rapid direct access to public safety agencies by accessing “911” with the objective of reducing the response time to situations requiring law enforcement, fire, medical, rescue, and other emergency services.

(3) DEFINITIONS. — As used in this section, the term: (a) “Office” means the Division of Telecommunications within the Department of Management Services, as designated by the secretary of the department. (b) “Local government” means any city, county, or political subdivision of the state and its agencies. (c) “Public agency” means the state and any city, county, city and county, municipal corporation, chartered organization, public district, or public authority located in whole or in part within this state which provides, or has authority to provide, firefighting, law enforcement, ambulance, medical, or other emergency services. (d) “Public safety agency” means a functional division of a public agency which provides firefighting, law enforcement, medical, or other emergency services.

(4) STATE PLAN. — The office shall develop, maintain, and implement appropriate modifications for a statewide emergency communications plan. The plan shall provide for: (a) The public agency emergency communications requirements for each entity of local government in the state. (b) A system to meet specific local government requirements. Such system shall include law enforcement, firefighting, and emergency medical services and may include other emergency services such as poison control, suicide prevention, and emergency management services. (c) Identification of the mutual aid agreements necessary to obtain an effective emergency communications system. (d) A funding provision that identifies the cost necessary to implement the emergency communications system. The office shall be responsible for the implementation and coordination of such plan. The office shall adopt any necessary rules and schedules related to public agencies for implementing and coordinating the plan, pursuant to chapter 120.

(5) SYSTEM DIRECTOR. — The secretary of the department or his or her designee is designated as the director of the statewide emergency communications system and, for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this section, is authorized to coordinate the activities of the system with state, county, local, and private agencies. The director in implementing the system shall consult, cooperate, and coordinate with local law enforcement agencies.

(6) REGIONAL SYSTEMS. — This section does not prohibit or discourage the formation of multijurisdictional or regional systems; and any system established pursuant to this section may include the jurisdiction, or any portion thereof, of more than one public agency. It is the intent of the Legislature that emergency communications services be available throughout the state. Expenditure by counties of the fee authorized and imposed under s. 365.172 should support this intent to the greatest extent feasible within the context of local service needs and fiscal capability. This section does not prohibit two or more counties from establishing a combined emergency communications service by an interlocal agreement and using the fees authorized and imposed by s. 365.172 for such combined service.

(7) TELECOMMUNICATIONS INDUSTRY COORDINATION. — The office shall coordinate with the Florida Public Service Commission which shall encourage the Florida telecommunications industry to activate facility modification plans for timely emergency communications services implementation.

(8) COIN TELEPHONES. — The Florida Public Service Commission shall establish rules to be followed by the telecommunications companies in this state designed toward encouraging the provision of coin-free dialing of “911” calls wherever economically practicable and in the public interest.

(9) SYSTEM APPROVAL. — No emergency communications number E911 system shall be established and no present system shall be expanded without prior approval of the office.

(10) COMPLIANCE. — All public agencies shall assist the office in their efforts to carry out the intent of this section, and such agencies shall comply with the developed plan.

(11) FEDERAL ASSISTANCE. — The secretary of the department or his or her designee may apply for and accept federal funding assistance in the development and implementation of a statewide emergency communications system.

(12) CONFIDENTIALITY OF RECORDS. — (a) Any record, recording, or information, or portions thereof, obtained by a public agency or a public safety agency for the purpose of providing services in an emergency and which reveals the name, address, telephone number, or personal information about, or information which may identify any person requesting emergency service or reporting an emergency by accessing an emergency communications system is confidential and exempt from the provisions of s. 119.07(1) and s. 24(a), Art. I of the State Constitution, except that such record or information may be disclosed to a public safety agency. The exemption applies only to the name, address, telephone number or personal information about, or information which may identify any person requesting emergency services or reporting an emergency while such information is in the custody of the public agency or public safety agency providing emergency services. A telecommunications company or commercial mobile radio service provider is not liable for damages to any person resulting from or in connection with such telephone company’s or commercial mobile radio service provider’s provision of any lawful assistance to any investigative or law enforcement officer of the State of Florida or political subdivisions thereof, of the United States, or of any other state or political subdivision thereof, in connection with any lawful investigation or other law enforcement activity by such law enforcement officer unless the telecommunications company or commercial mobile radio service provider acted in a wanton and willful manner. (b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a 911 public safety telecommunicator, as defined in s. 401.465, may contact any private person or entity that owns an automated external defibrillator who has notified the local emergency medical services medical director or public safety answering point of such ownership if a confirmed coronary emergency call is taking place and the location of the coronary emergency is within a reasonable distance from the location of the defibrillator, and may provide the location of the coronary emergency to that person or entity.

History: ss. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, ch. 74-357; s. 3, ch. 76-168; ss. 1, 2, ch. 76-272; s. 1, ch. 77-457; ss. 3, 4, ch. 80-275; s. 38, ch. 83-334; ss. 1, 2, ch. 85-317; s. 24, ch. 87-225; s. 1, ch. 87-259; s. 1, ch. 88-231; s. 1, ch. 89-264; s. 3, ch. 90-305; s. 110, ch. 90-360; s. 1, ch. 91-100; s. 297, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 1, ch. 93-171; s. 1, ch. 96-229; s. 168, ch. 96-406; s. 1, ch. 98-276; s. 97, ch. 98-279; s. 50, ch. 99-399; s. 10, ch. 2000-334; s. 1, ch. 2001-71; s. 1, ch. 2001-133; s. 106, ch. 2001-266; s. 3, ch. 2005-171; s. 1, ch. 2007-78; s. 1, ch. 2012-177; s. 22, ch. 2019-118; s. 8, ch. 2020-161; s. 5, ch. 2023-55.