The emergency response system known as 911 has remained essentially the same since 1968, when it became the national emergency response number.  You pick up the phone, call and talk to a dispatcher, and help is on the way.  While that’s still useful, it’s not quite as relevant for the modern world.  After all, we live in a cell phone society, and people are more likely to text than call one another.  Hence, 911’s newest goal:  Next-Generation 911 will include text messaging capabilities.

“911 is an indispensable, live-saving tool,” said FCC chairman Julius Genachowski.  “But today’s 911 system doesn’t support the communication tools of tomorrow.  Even though mobile phones are the device of choice for most 911 callers, and we primarily use our phones to text, right now, you can’t text 911.  I am pleased to announce that we will initiate a Next-Generation 911 proceeding next month — taking up an item during the Commission’s December meeting.”

Of course, taking up the issue at the meeting and having it implemented are two different things.  Even forcing states to adopt a text-friendly 911 system might be harder than it looks since that would either require a federal law, federal funding, or both to get states to move in the right direction.  Still, it’s a change whose time has long since come, and hopefully it’ll happen within the next few years.

Tags: FCC, Next-Generation 911, 911 to allow texting, texting 911, emergency texting, Julius Genachowski, next generation 911 to allow text messages, upgrading 911, improving emergency response systems, text messages to 911

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