9-1-1 Origin & History

On February 16, 2022 the Nation will celebrate 54 years of 9-1-1! Here is a brief history of 9-1-1 followed by some facts about your local PSAP and 9-1-1 Center:
The three-digit telephone number "9-1-1" has been designated as the "Universal Emergency Number," for citizens throughout the United States to request emergency assistance. It is intended as a nationwide telephone number and gives the public fast and easy access to a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP).

In the United States, the first catalyst for a nationwide emergency telephone number was in 1957, when the National Association of Fire Chiefs recommended use of a single number for reporting fires.

In 1967, the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice recommended that a "single number should be established" nationwide for reporting emergency situations. The use of different telephone numbers for each type of emergency was determined to be contrary to the purpose of a single, universal number.

Other Federal Government Agencies and various governmental officials also supported and encouraged the recommendation. As a result of the immense interest in this issue, the President's Commission on Civil Disorders turned to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for a solution.

In November 1967, the FCC met with the American Telephone and Telegraph Company (AT&T) to find a means of establishing a universal emergency number that could be implemented quickly. In 1968, AT&T announced that it would establish the digits 9-1-1 (nine-one-one) as the emergency code throughout the United States.

The code 9-1-1 was chosen because it best fit the needs of all parties involved. First, and most important, it met public requirements because it is brief, easily remembered, and can be dialed quickly. Second, because it is a unique number, never having been authorized as an office code, area code, or service code, it best met the long-range numbering plans and switching configurations of the telephone industry.

With Enhanced 9-1-1, or E9-1-1, local PSAPs are responsible for paying network trunking costs according to tariffed rates, and for purchasing telephone answering equipment from the vendor of their choice.

On February 16, 1968, Senator Rankin Fite completed the first 9-1-1 call made in the United States in Haleyville, Alabama. The serving telephone company was then Alabama Telephone Company. This Haleyville 9-1-1 system is still in operation today.

The intense interest in the concept of 9-1-1 can be attributed primarily to the recognition of characteristics of modern society, i.e., increased incidences of crimes, accidents, and medical emergencies, inadequacy of existing emergency reporting methods, and the continued growth and mobility of the population.

In the early 1970s, AT&T began the development of sophisticated features for the 9-1-1 with a pilot program in Alameda County, California. The feature was "selective call routing." This pilot program supported the theory behind the Executive Office of Telecommunication's Policy.

At the end of the 20th century, nearly 93% of the population of the United States was covered by some type of 9-1-1 service. Ninety-five percent of that coverage was Enhanced 9-1-1. Approximately 96% of the geographic US is covered by some type of 9-1-1.

(Special thanks to NENA, the National Emergency Number Association for these facts and figures.)
9-1-1 and Emergency Communications has come a long way since that first phone call in 1968. The good news is that Weston County is part of the 9-1-1 system and the Dispatch Center is available to take your calls 24/7/365.  Here are some facts that you may not know about your Weston County (Newcastle, Upton, Osage, Unincorporated Weston County) 9-1-1 PSAP:
· EVERY Dispatcher lives, works, shops, recreates, educates, and spends money in Weston County.  We have families, friends and neighbors here. Most are life long residents who know you, interact with you and care about you.
· EVERY Dispatcher is certified through the State of Wyoming through the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy.  We hold certifications starting with Basic, Advanced and then Professional.  At this time, we only have one Basic Dispatcher while the majority are at a Professional level. We are required to hold certifications and renew every 2 years and require at least 24 hours of continuing education.
· The Dispatch Center dispatches local resources to include: Upton Police Department, Weston County Sheriff’s Office, Upton Ambulance and Fire Department, Newcastle Volunteer Fire Department, Weston County Fire Protection District and Newcastle (Campbell County) Ambulance.  We work closely with the Department of Homeland Security, Search & Rescue, Wyoming Department of Corrections, Wyoming Highway Patrol and Wyoming Game and Fish.  We utilize local, state and federal resources and have a good working relationship with surrounding counties in South Dakota
· EVERY Dispatcher is trained in Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD).  When a medical call comes into the Dispatch Center, the Dispatchers are trained and certified to use the Power Phone medical protocol questions and pre-arrival instructions. This system of questions and instructions allows for greater call consistency, and standardizes the questions and gathering of information. The Dispatchers can give instructions on telephone CPR and the use of an AED, help the caller to control bleeding, and gather necessary information for the ambulance and responders. The program is held to strict compliance through Quality Control and Quality Assurance measurers and Dispatchers are certified every 2 years after successful completion of practical and on-line training. 
I hope that this information is useful to the public as the Dispatch Center hopes to make this a monthly, educational experience. The next publication will be about calling 9-1-1, what to say, what to expect, when to use 9-1-1 and the penalties for misuse of 91-1.