SAN FRANCISCO-The Cellular Telecommunications Industry Association, in conjunction with the Federal Communications Commission and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, announced a joint public/private partnership to address the importance of a national emergency 911 number for wireless users.
“Our existing 911 system has helped reduce the elapsed time between injury and medical treatment, because of its nearly universal recognition and implementation,” said Ricardo Martinez, administrator for NHTSA. “We need to repeat this success with the wireless system.”
“We need to give crash victims the very best chance for survival and full recovery by getting emergency care to them as quickly as possible.”
The trio said it will develop guidelines and a timeframe for implementing the system. Officials plan to meet with emergency medical service professionals and local and community public safety officials to determine and outline program implementation.
“We plan to act further on this rulemaking later this year. Full implementation will require a coordinated public and private effort,” said Michele Farquhar, Wireless Telecom Bureau chief. She explained that one difficulty is that the number 911 is not currently available in all areas around the country.
CTIA President Tom Wheeler said the system will be based on location technologies and the fact that radio signals can be triangulated to determine their origination. He said several technology partners are involved in the effort.
A concrete timetable for system implementation is expected by mid-May. The industry must comply with a five-year deadline set in place by the FCC to be able to locate any wireless caller using accurate latitude and longitude measurements.
