NINE-ONE-ONE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM - A PROPOSAL FOR THE CAPITAL AREA PLANNING COUNCIL

• NCJ Number: 68687
• Author(s): R T MATTHEWS
• Date Published: 1974
• Length: 111 pages
• Sale Source: National Institute of Justice/
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN - MASTERS THESIS

Annotation

A PROPOSAL FOR A 911 EMERGENCY TELEPHONE SYSTEM FOR THE AUSTIN, TEXAS, AREA IS PRESENTED IN THIS REPORT, WHICH ALSO EXAMINES THE CONCEPT AND BENEFITS OF A 911 SYSTEM.

Abstract

THE REPORT IS INTENDED FOR USE BY LOCAL PLANNING AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. THE ULTIMATE VALUE OF A 911 SYSTEM MUST BE DETERMINED WITH RESPECT TO AVAILABLE ALTERNATIVES FOR SUMMONING HELP: DIALING THE OPERATOR AND USING THE STANDARD SEVEN-DIGIT NUMBER. A CAREFULLY DESIGNED 911 SYSTEM CAN REDUCE TOTAL RESPONSE TIME BY FROM 1 OR 2 MINUTES TO 5 SECONDS. DESIGN OF A SYSTEM FOR THE AUSTIN REGION MUST BEGIN WITH UNDERSTANDING OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AND DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE 10-COUNTY AREA, ESPECIALLY ITS RURAL/URBAN DICHOTOMY. SINCE A 911 SYSTEM WOULD MAINLY BENEFIT AN URBAN AREA, IT IS CONCLUDED THAT TRAVIS COUNTY, IN WHICH AUSTIN IS LOCATED, WOULD BENEFIT FROM A 911 SYSTEM, BUT THE RURAL COUNTIES PROBABLY WOULD NOT. NEVERTHELESS, THESE COUNTIES SHOULD BEGIN PLANNING ACTIVITIES FOR A 911 SYSTEM TO INDICATE ITS FEASIBILITY, SHOULD TRY TO IMPROVE THE 24-HOUR AVAILABILITY OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, AND SHOULD MONITOR OTHER COUNTIES' PROGRESS IN SOLVING PROBLEMS RELATED TO 911 SYSTEMS. ANALYSIS OF ONE RURAL COUNTY, TABLES, FOOTNOTES, A DISCUSSION OF PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS, EIGHT REFERENCES, AN APPENDIX PRESENTING MAPS, AN ACTION CHECKLIST, AND RELATED INFORMATION ARE INCLUDED.