You can now text 911!

[b0unce. [?]]

FCC Updating 911 for the Texting Generation, SRSLY

In a bid to bring the life-saving emergency service 911 into the 21st century, the FCC is looking at letting citizens report crimes through text messages and even stream video from their mobile phones to emergency centers.

Established as a national standard in 1968, 911 handles more than 230 million calls a year — 70 percent of which now come from mobile phones.

The last real overhaul of 911 by the FCC came in 2001, when mobile carriers were required to allow 911 to identify the location of callers either through GPS or cell-tower data. In the middle of the decade, some internet telephony companies were also required to implement 911 calling that would route emergency calls to the appropriate local center — a non-trivial task given the mobility of laptops and equipment using voice-over-internet protocol (VOIP).

But the 911 system still can’t handle text messages, multimedia messages or streaming video, all of which could be very helpful to first responders. A system that could handle those messages would also allow people to report crimes without being overheard, which could be useful in situations ranging from kidnapping to seeing someone being robbed on the street.

In a press release announcing Tuesday’s changes, the FCC pointed to the now-infamous shooting rampage at Virginia Tech as an example of how a more modern system could be useful.

“The technological limitations of 9-1-1 can have tragic, real-world consequences,” the release said. “During the 2007 Virginia Tech campus shooting, students and witnesses desperately tried to send texts to 9-1-1 that local dispatchers never received. If these messages had gone through, first responders may have arrived on the scene faster with firsthand intelligence about the life-threatening situation that was unfolding.”

The FCC also plans to allow automated pinging of 911 by sensors, including chemical detection sensors, alarm systems, medical devices and systems like On-Star in automobiles.

It’s not clear yet where the money will come from for the upgrades, whether they will be federal requirements states and cities must carry out or if they will simply be suggestions. It’s also unclear whether Facebook’s new Messages service will let you send a note to 911 straight from your Facebook page or mobile app (that’s a joke, sort of).

http://www.wired.com/epicenter/2010/11/fcc-911-texting/

[Jegz]

911 should have BBM instead. Way better.

[StylinRed]

thought you always could?

[versep]

introducing, 911 texting typos

[Kim Jong Un]

"OMFG my frnd is gettin' beat : '((( come help us. FMLL!" ........ Yeah something along that line.

[$_$]

This makes sense. In some situations, trying to explain the problem through a phone call is actually pretty dangerous.

[MindBomber]

Very cool, hopefully this comes to Canada soon.

[ilvtofu]

ASL?

[v.Rossi]

oh man, this is gonna be bad.... half these text messages are probably going to be jokes. let alone the 230 million calls will still probably be rolling in, only further delaying officers.

i can picture punk kids sending fake prank messages only because they're fully hiding under their phones now, no need to speak to anyone solely texting.

"help i need help at oak at 41st" hehehhe
officer comes...
"yeeeeeee bro, nvm we solvedd it!!!!"

another person robbed/stabbed/dead from such delay. it's bad enough that the pizza boy can arrive before cops arrive at the scene of the crime in vancouver, i don't see how texting is going to benefit us in the long run. if you're getting your house robbed, fuck texting dial 911 and yell at them to get here asap.

[CP.AR]

hlp rpst in crib
lol

[gloors]

This will be interesting .. Phone dispatchers better know the txt slangs haha
Posted via RS Mobile

[donjalapeno]

A left work and went onto 200th in langley and i noticed their was traffic and i saw a prelude on the other side of the street banged up so i thought fuck a accident im gonna be here for a while. 2 minutes after that i saw a tow truck come through im like yes the car is just broken thats why theirs traffic. Traffic starts moving and i see a Malibu flipped over brining a tree down with it, a Celica totalled and on the middle island, the Prelude on the other side of the street and a dodge ram on the island as well with a broken headlights and a dent on the hood and the grill was pretty torn. 10 MINUTES after the tow truck came, fire truck number 1 came along. 2 minutes after fire truck number 2. 4 minutes after that ambulance number 1 and 5 minutes after that ambulance number 2.

Moral of the story WHY THE FUCK would the tow truck arrive first? It took sooooooooooooo long for fire truck number 1 too come. it took more than 15 minutes ! Thankfully no one in the accident seemed to me severly injured ( i only saw the prelude, the ram and malibu. I hope the girl in the celica was ok). We need 911 phone calls with less questions and faster response texting would be a step forward.

[adambomb]

The tow truck was driving on the same road as you and noticed the accident and probably figured that eventually, the call would come for him to pull cars out. So he pulled over to help.


Pure luck that a tow truck was near by, on the same road.
Mystery solved.

[donjalapeno]

No people were already out and helping the people in the collision....the tow truck driver just came to the scene hung around until rescue team arrived and their was no traffic or anything. So theirs no excuse.

[TomBox_N]

Originally Posted by Soltaaa77

No people were already out and helping the people in the collision....the tow truck driver just came to the scene hung around until rescue team arrived and their was no traffic or anything. So theirs no excuse.

Don't u know that tow trucks r stationed along the highway during rush hour just in case a car breaks down?
Posted via RS Mobile

[b0unce. [?]]

yo we is gettin robbed rite now. help us plz kthxbye

[AzNightmare]

lol... gotta keep up with technology I guess.
How fast does emergency pick up? (I never called before)

Because unless they put you on hold or it rings like 5 times before someone
answers... I don't see how texting is faster... And that's still assuming you're a very fast texter.

Although I guess this is an alternative if there's a situation where you
can't speak out loud.

[FerrariEnzo]

wow, but how long or how many txt msg would there be in order to get all the info???

[Greenstoner]

Originally Posted by AzNightmare

lol... gotta keep up with technology I guess.
How fast does emergency pick up? (I never called before)

Because unless they put you on hold or it rings like 5 times before someone
answers... I don't see how texting is faster... And that's still assuming you're a very fast texter.

Although I guess this is an alternative if there's a situation where you
can't speak out loud.

called twice.. both time they pick it up in less than 10 seconds

[fliptuner]

Also, when there's an accident in an area with poor reception or cell power is low.

http://www.canada.com/victoriatimesc...6-47bd7a186c5d

[twitchyzero]

what happens when your texts don't go through? At least with dropped calls you know it failed so you try again...

[skyxx]

can you send picture messages?

[donjalapeno]

Originally Posted by TomBox_N

Don't u know that tow trucks r stationed along the highway during rush hour just in case a car breaks down?
Posted via RS Mobile

It was 10 at nightbro and I clearly stated their was no traffic on the other side
Posted via RS Mobile

[bloodmack]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

what happens when your texts don't go through? At least with dropped calls you know it failed so you try again...

On the iphone a red circle comes up saying that the text failed..

[SumAznGuy]

Someone should come up with an Iphone or Android 911 app.

They can use a popup click for Fire, ambulance or police

then another popup for a few generic emergencies like I've fallen and can't get up.
Help. Being raped. kthxbye