KAYENTA, AZ – Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren toured the new Kayenta Next Generation 911 (NG911) Dispatch Center and received updates on the Navajo Nation NG911 and Rural Addressing Project, a major initiative designed to modernize emergency communications, improve response times, and establish physical addresses across the Navajo Nation.
Joined by Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety Executive Director Dr. Delores Greyeyes, Kayenta Township officials, project contractors, and public safety personnel, President Nygren learned about the progress being made through the project, which was funded through the Navajo Nation’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investments.
As of May 2026, all 110 Navajo Nation chapters have been driven and mapped, more than 72,000 address points have been created, and addressing work continues through quality assurance, signage installation, and community outreach. The project also includes modern dispatch centers in Kayenta and Shiprock that will serve as the backbone of the Nation’s Next Generation 911 system.
President Nygren reflected on the early stages of the project, noting that when ARPA funding priorities were being evaluated, the NG911 initiative was one of the most complex projects under consideration. After learning more about its long-term benefits, he supported moving the project forward.
“We cannot have runarounds when somebody’s life is on the line,” President Nygren said. “This is what this solves.”
Project leaders demonstrated how the new system will reduce delays caused by emergency calls being routed through outside jurisdictions and provide dispatchers with more accurate location information to assist first responders. They also highlighted how physical addresses will support economic development, improve delivery services, and expand access to healthcare and other essential services.
“To see this in Kayenta, to see it in Shiprock, and to see it come together really shows that we are setting ourselves up to operate at the level of major municipalities,” President Nygren said.
President Nygren also thanked dispatchers for their dedication and emphasized the importance of providing them with the tools, training, and support needed to serve Navajo communities effectively. He commended the public safety team and project partners for advancing an effort that will strengthen emergency response and improve public safety for generations to come.
