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The History of 9-1-1:
What is 9-1-1?
Nine-one-one is a three digit telephone number which can provide the American
public with direct access to a public safety answering point (PSAP). In general,
9-1-1 is an emergency number for any police, fire or medic.
How did the idea develop ?
Great Britain was the first country to establish a universal emergency telephone
number. Since 1937 any individual in the United Kingdom has been able to dial
999, receive a prompt response, and have his or her request for assistance
(police, fire, ambulance) quickly and efficiently directed to the proper agency.
In developing similar systems, Belgium has adopted 900 as its uniform emergency
number. Denmark has provided 000, and in Sweden the caller dials 80 000. Several
of these systems are directed primarily toward the provision of emergency
medical services. Other countries which have provided three or two-digit
emergency number, either universally or for large population segments, include
West Germany; Caracas, Venezuela, which developed its system in 1963 with the
help of the United States; and Winnipeg, Canada, where the system has been in
service since 1959. Canada is currently developing a national system utilizing
9-1-1 and Japan has implemented 1-1-9 throughout their country.
Introduction in the United States
In January of 1968, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company announced that
within its serving areas the digits 9-1-1 were available for installation on a
national scale as the single emergency telephone number. Although numerous
public safety officials and individuals at various government organizational
levels had long expressed keen interest in the establishment of such a number,
the AT&T announcement was primarily prompted by the 1967 recommendation of The
President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice that
"wherever practical a single (police emergency) number should be established
within a metropolitan area and preferably over the entire United States".
Further stimulus toward the creation of a nationwide number was provided by the
Commission on Civil Disorders and Federal Communications Commission which urged
the telephone industry to provide a three-digit emergency telephone number.
These various recommendations had in turn received impetus from growing public
concern over the increase in crime, accidents, and medical emergencies and from
Federal Government awareness that current emergency reporting methods were
inadequate and that in a population as large and as mobile as ours, a common
emergency number made sense.
In response to these concerns, the Federal Government in March of 1973, through
the Office of Telecommunications Policy, Executive Office of the President,
issued National Policy Bulletin Number 73-1 endorsing the concept of 9-1-1 and
urging its nationwide implementation.
The choice of the specific number, 9-1-1, was based primarily on cost factors,
the comparative ease with which telephone company equipment could be modified to
accept the number and on other considerations which indicated that the
combination of the digits 9-1-1 would be easily remembered and dialed by most
persons.
First 9-1-1-Call
The first 9-1-1 call in the United States came from Haleyville, Alabama and was
made by Alabama Speaker of the House, Rankin Fite on February 16, 1968 to Tom
Bevill, a U.S. Representative.
9-1-1 in Lapeer County
A 9-1-1 system is considered BASIC when a citizen dials 9-1-1, is routed to the
PSAP but no location information is provided to the answering point.
A 9-1-1 system is considered ENHANCED when a citizen dials 911, is routed to the
PSAP and the caller's address and telephone number are displayed on a computer
screen for the dispatcher's reference. Wireless or cellular calls do not always
provide address information. Lapeer County 9-1-1 is equipped with an Enhanced
9-1-1 system.
Phase II Wireless
With the advent of newer cell phones and technology, the FCC has mandated that
cellular phone companies and 9-1-1 Centers be compliant with Phase II wireless.
Phase II wireless provides 9-1-1 Centers with GPS coordinates to pin-point a
callers location. With the GPS information, a 9-1-1 Center can plot the location
of a caller automatically on a map to aid in sending help.
It is still the policy of Lapeer County 9-1-1 and many other 9-1-1 Centers to
verify with the caller specific information, such as location and telephone
number. Even though technology now provides this information, it can still be
wrong.
People who are still using older Phase I cell phones will not provide the local
9-1-1 Center with location information.
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