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BCCD BAKER COUNTY CONSOLIDATED 9-1-1 DISPATCH CENTER Baker County Consolidated 9-1-1 Dispatch Press Release April 1, 2008 S/ Cellular 9-1-1 A recent Federal Court decision has delayed, indefinitely, the compliance requirement for cellular telephone service providers to meet location accuracy standards on 9-1-1 calls. This is not good news for cellular users. When 9-1-1 calls are made from landline (non-cellular) telephones the 9-1-1 dispatch center automatically receives information about the location from which the call was made. This is important especially if the caller is unable to speak, is confused as to his/her location, or is unable to tell us the location of the incident. Even if no words are spoken by the caller the fact that a 9-1-1 call has been made from a particular location will result in us dispatching emergency responders to determine what sort of problem, if any, exists. Lives have been saved because of this feature in cases where the caller has a medical emergency and is unable to speak. The Federal Government, through the Federal Communications Commission, has for years directed that cellular telephone providers also automatically provide location information (with useable accuracy) on 9-1-1 calls made from cellular telephones. There are several different technologies which cellular companies can use to provide this information. One technology, based upon GPS satellite coordinates, is quite accurate. The other, based on “triangulation” does not work well in rural areas which typically have an insufficient number of cellular towers to make triangulation technology work. Regardless of technology used, the FCC has mandated that cellular providers meet the accuracy requirement. Unfortunately the date by which they must comply has been pushed back more than once. Now the Federal Appeals Court, in a very recent ruling, has issued a “stay” on the requirement. Cellular companies which have already complied with location accuracy requirements will continue to provide a valuable service. Companies which only provide the location of their cellular tower (which may be miles from the caller’s actual location) are no longer required to provide more accurate data---at least until such time as a higher Court overturns the recent decision of the Appeals Court. Users of those phones do not enjoy the advantage of us knowing where they are even if they cannot speak to us on 9-1-1. A recent incident in Umatilla County may have resulted in a person’s death because the location of the 9-1-1 call could not be determined in spite of the Dispatcher’s best efforts. The Baker County Consolidated 9-1-1 Dispatch Center cannot recommend one cellular telephone service provider over another. Our best advice when shopping for cellular service is to ask the provider whether its 9-1-1 location data is based upon satellite GPS (which works well) or some other some other technology and to base your decision on the answer you receive.

IF YOU HAVE A POLICE, FIRE, or MEDICAL EMERGENCY, DIAL 9-1-1