What is e911?
In an emergency situation, every second counts. That's why it's important for 911 operators to know where callers are so that help can find them as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the technology required to locate callers making 911 calls from wireless phones is not yet in place everywhere. This problem has been thrust into the spotlight by the deaths of several callers whose lives could have been saved had emergency workers been able to locate them more quickly. The nation needs a better way to respond to emergency wireless calls.
The purpose of developing Enhanced 911 (E911) standards is to enable emergency service providers to quickly reach the location of a wireless 911 call with the least amount of confusion and delay. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) determined this issue to be so important that it mandated E911 standards and set phased deadlines for system upgrades in 1996.
From the start, Indiana led the charge, beating the FCC's schedule in several instances. Allen and Steuben Counties became the nation's first counties to accept Phase I standards in April of 1998. Lake County became the second county in the nation to accept Phase II calls in November of 2001.
While Indiana was quick to respond with improved 911 technologies, even the most advanced emergency call centers can't locate wireless callers unless the caller has a phone capable of Automatic Location Identification (ALI), the wireless carrier's network has been upgraded to pass along location technology (latitude and longitude), the caller's service carrier conforms to E911 standards. To this point, wireless carriers, phone manufacturers and local exchange carriers have fallen behind.
A report submitted to the U.S. Senate Sub-Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation showed that carriers have received extension after extension from the FCC in order to phase in E911 standards. Phase II was slated to be completed nationwide by the end of 2001, but Phase I is not nearly complete four years after the FCC's original deadline.
Now Indiana is out in front again in the quest for better technology for mobile phone users. Formed in 1998 by the Indiana General Assembly, the Indiana Wireless E911 Advisory Board is working to improve emergency service for wireless callers throughout Indiana. The board administers the Indiana Wireless Emergency Telephone System Fund, which is used to reimburse county 911 authorities and wireless carriers for E911 system enhancements.
Indiana State Treasurer Richard Mourdock serves as chairman of the board. Mourdock is also working with the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) to improve emergency response on a national level through the association's Strategic Wireless Action Team (SWAT).
