9-1-1 and cellphone tragedies on TV

[Guest guest]

Inside Edition just ran a story about people dying while on the line with

9-1-1 on their cellphones. The people died because they didn't know where

they were and emergency services were unable to locate them until it was too

late. The story was fabulous, had actual 9-1-1 tapes and blamed, not us,

but the cellphone industry for lobbying against locator technology. They

also interviewed Joe Hannah from APCO. Joe did a great job, by the way!

The online article also includes links to the FCC and APCO websites.

Oh, and , I added dashes to the article below, just to save your blood

pressure! :-)

The link is: http://www.insideedition.com

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Here is the article:

CELL PHONE USERS BEWARE…DIALING 9-1-1 FROM YOUR CELL PHONE IN AN EMERGENCY

WON'T BRING HELP IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE YOU ARE. EXCLUSIVE INSIDE EDITION

INVESTIGATION UNCOVERS GAPING HOLE IN OUR NATION'S 9-1-1 SYSTEM…9-1-1

OPERATORS CANNOT TRACE LOCATION OF EMERGENCY CELL PHONE CALLS

Victim's brother tells Inside Edition, " I didn't realize that a cell phone

is practically worthless if you don't know where you are. "

" Operator, I need help! " is a routine call for 9-1-1 operators across the

country…but if you're calling from your cell phone, your life might be in

jeopardy if you don't know your location. Although technology that would

enable 9-1-1 operators to pinpoint the location of cell phone callers has

existed for years, public safety advocates say that the cell phone industry

has not put it into effect. On Wednesday, September 20, Inside Edition

documents several cases of cell phone callers who tragically died because

9-1-1 operators had no idea where to direct rescuers.

Operator Farley tells INSIDE EDITION about an emergency call she

received from Dana , a woman who had lost control of her car, went over

an embankment and smashed into trees, blacking out until the next morning.

When she regained consciousness, she phoned 9-1-1 from her cell phone. " I

think she thought that if she called 9-1-1, we'll just know right where

she's at and we'd just send help, but with the system we have now, there's

just no way to do it, " Farley explains. Tragically, wasn't found until

four hours later, and by then it was too late.

With almost half of all 9-1-1 calls now coming in on cell phones, incidents

of people dying of injuries and heart attacks before help can arrive are

becoming sadly more common. Joe Hannah heads APCO, an organization that

represents more than 15,000 U.S. 9-1-1 operators. He tells Inside Edition

that cell phone companies have been reluctant to spend money on this public

safety issue, but lavishly spend millions on the development of glamorous,

attractive features for cell phones. He states, " …from a technological stand

point, we don't see a reason why they don't comply. "

The government paid attention to this issue four years ago, when the FCC

ordered wireless companies to provide solutions to this widespread problem.

But documents obtained by Inside Edition reveal that most major cellphone

carriers have been quietly lobbying the FCC to delay the process even

further.

The mother of Dana , the woman who lay dying as 9-1-1 operators tried

to locate her, believes that her daughter would have been saved if help had

arrived sooner and is still haunted. " They had plenty of time to find her…I

just don't understand why they couldn't. " Dana's brother adds, " I didn't

realize that a cell phone is practically worthless if you don't know where

you are. "

The Cellular Telephone Industry Association did not respond to Inside

Edition's requests for an interview. But public safety officials and the

families of victims whose lives could have been saved, are anxious for

answers.

Some of the country's top wireless carriers also refused Inside Edition's

requests for interviews but assured Inside Edition that the issue is top

priority and that they are working to make location technology available as

quickly as possible.

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Kim Kinsey

Chattanooga, TN PD/FD

opinions are mine and not my agency's!

home email: kjkinsey@...

work email: kinsey_kim@...

AOL IM or ICQ: CPDKimmieK