NCJ Number
67530
Date Published
Unknown
Length
4 pages
Annotation
AN ALREADY EXISTENT UNIVERSAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER, FOR OPERATOR, IS RECOMMENDED EVER 911. THE LATTER HAS SEVERAL SHORTCOMINGS AND THE FORMER ADVANTAGES DESPITE AN ALREADY EXISTENT UNIVERSAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER.
Abstract
PRELIMINARY CHECKS INDICATE THAT SOME TELEPHONE COMPANIES CANNOT IMPLEMENT 911 WITHOUT A COMPLETE REPLACEMENT OF CENTRAL OFFICE EQUIPMENT. IN ADDITION, THE NUMBER 0 IS AN EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER ALREADY IN USE. IF 0 BECAME A UNIVERAL EMERGENCY NUMBER, TELEPHONE COMPANIES COULD ROUTE ALL CALLS TO THE EMERGENCY CENTER OF THE CITY OR COUNTRY OR TO THE OPERATOR. OTHER LINES COULD BE USED FOR NONEMERGENCY CALLS. IN ADDITION, CHILDREN HAVE BEEN TAUGHT ON TV AND RADIO TO DIAL 0 IN AN EMERGENCY AND IT IS AN EASIER NUMBER TO DIAL. CALLS COULD BE TRANSFERRED TO THE PROPER DEPARTMENT, SUCH AS FIRE, TO RESPOND IN AN EMERGENCY, AND AN AUTOMATIC NUMBER IDENTIFIER (ANI) COULD BE ADDED AT SOME FUTURE TIME. FINALLY, USING 0 AS THE UNIVERSAL EMERGENCY NUMBER AND AUTOMATICALLY REVERTING SUCH DIALING TO THE CITY OR COUNTY EMERGENCY CENTER WOULD REMOVE THE ONUS FROM THE COMMON CARRIER AND POSSIBLY PROVIDE IMPROVED RESPONSE FOR CITIZENS. (AOP)