State & Local Government Policy, Business and Technology

Attacks, Crashes Underscore Need for New 911 Systems

Stateline: A 911 dispatch center in Vail, Colorado. Colorado and many other states lack the funding to implement next-generation 911 technologies that can combat pranks and other problems that cause mobile phones to repeatedly call and jam emergency lines. © The Associated Press A recent rash of disruptions in antiquated 911 emergency-response systems points up the urgent need for new technology to save lives in the wireless age. But few states or localities have the financial means to pay for it on their own. Earlier this month, AT&T wireless customers nationwide found they couldn’t dial 911, prompting local emergency officials in more than a half dozen states — including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Oregon, Tennessee and Texas — to tell people to call an alternate number or text authorities in case of emergency. The company said it was a “service issue.” The Federal Communications Commission is investigating. In Dallas this month, callers were unable to reach 911 during spikes in calls that put hundreds of people on hold. City officials blamed a combination of calls from T-Mobile customers and a shortage of people to handle calls.

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