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[911forkidsblog]

Next Generation 9-1-1

Today, when we think of 9-1-1 we think of a call to a live dispatcher, right? However, we fail to recognize the exponential advancement of 9-1-1 technology from its less than glamorous moments of manual transmission to this era's upcoming "Text-to-9-1-1" movement.

The advent of the 9-1-1 system was revolutionary, though its provenance in 1968 by House Speaker Rankin Fite was clunky and inefficient. Emergency calls once had to be wired through a switchboard manually to transfer it to responders-- totally unrecognizable by today’s standard of technological immediacy.    

Now, virtually any phone, whether it be a landline, current cell phone, old cell phone no longer in use, or something like a Call Box, 9-1-1 services are able to receive calls in crisis situations. It links the called to the PSAP, the Public Safety Answering Point, a dispatch center that will receive the call. Even more impressive is the “enhanced 9-1-1,” which automatically links emergency services with the caller’s location, address, and information. This can help relieve the caller of the obligation of collecting this information in some situations that could otherwise sacrifice lifesaving seconds. Automatic transference of caller information allows emergency responders: fire, medical, and law enforcement to respond more effectively to the situation.

Next generation 9-1-1 involves being able to send text and video to authorities in emergency situations. The new system is in its nascent stages as of yet, but will be the gateway to even  more well-informed response to crises. The new technology’s pilot program is in Chicago, where their citizens are the first to send images and video to authorities. 

The person seeking to contact their PSAP will enter “9-1-1” in the recipient field to be delivered, while texting details of the situation in the subject fields, while attaching video and/or audio if applicable. The way the new system will work, when implemented everywhere, is that the citizen snaps pictures and video of the incident at hand. They are sent to the crime-prevention center at their police department, where they are either forwarded to responders or investigators.

Text messaging , or in its most common form SMS, short message service, is more advantageous in circumstances where a 9-1-1 call cannot be placed for safety or weather situations that interfere with call signal. Texting could be beneficial and suitable for similar crisis situations that we have witnessed in recent eras. The best conditions under which to use texting as a means for providing information to PSAPs are school shootings , robberies, and abuse. Messaging is especially useful in circumstances where active gunman are present and silence is necessitated on the part of hostages and victims.