Abstract: The present invention is an E911 backup system that bridges and monitors standard analog E911 trunks in an emergency 911 answering system (“E911”), also know as a public safety answering position (PSAP) equipment. The E911 backup system has the ability to take control of these trunks in the event of primary PSAP equipment failure. This is accomplished by monitoring and selectively acting upon a series of alarm signals. The alarm signals include: a watchdog signal from the E911 call answering system; a batter monitor to detect the presence of a voltage on the E911 analog trunk; a wink watch signal to monitor whether the primary systems transmits a wink signal; and an answer alarm signal that detects the E911 call answering systems failure to answer an incoming call within a specified period of time.