Long term 911 method 'may accept text and video clip messages'

The US Federal Communication Commission (FCC) is contemplating updating the 911 emergency call process to accept photo, text and video messages. shawncloe auto insurance

Roughly 70% of 911 calls are currently being created from cellular telephones, stated FCC chairman Julius Genachowski.

However the 911 process isn't going to currently "support the communication instruments of tomorrow", he added.

The FCC stated the Virginia Tech massacre was an incident when 911 multimedia technological know-how could happen to be employed.

Thirty-two people have been left dead immediately after a pupil opened fire on the Virginia Tech university campus in 2007.

"Some students and witnesses attempted to text 911 through that emergency and as we all know, those messages never went as a result of and have been never obtained by community 911 dispatchers," Mr Genachowski stated.

But those multimedia messages may soon be answered due to broadband-enabled Upcoming Era 911, Mr Genachowski stated, inside a speech in the Arlington County Emergency Middle in Virginia.

"Even though cellular phones would be the gadget of alternative for many 911 callers, and we principally use our phones to text, right away, you cannot text 911. It's time to convey 911 to the digital age."
Complex process

A process that would make it easy for people to report crimes with out being heard could also be utilized in scenarios ranging from kidnappings to robberies.

Mr Genachowski added that texting can be a particularly valuable type of communication for people that are deaf and other individuals having a selection of disabilities.

But alterations towards the complex 911 process are unable to happen overnight, nor with out a vote from your FCC.

The very last substantial transform towards the emergency process by the FCC occurred in 2001, when the group needed cellular mobile phone carriers to permit them to pinpoint a caller's geographic area the two as a result of GPS and by triangulating a caller's area as a result of mobile phone towers.

Established in 1968, the 911 emergency process handles more than 230m calls per 12 months.