NENA Statement on FCC Commissioner Pai Event
Friday, January 23, 2015
(1 Comments)
Posted by: Chris Nussman
On behalf of thousands of 9-1-1 professionals
across the nation, NENA commends FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai for his leadership on
the issue of reaching 9-1-1 emergency services via multi-line telephone systems
(MLTS), such as those used in hotels and office buildings. Commissioner Pai
held an event in Texas today to discuss the progress that has been made on this
issue since the tragic death of Kari Rene Hunt Dunn, who was killed nearly one
year ago by her estranged husband while her daughter tried and failed to reach
9-1-1 from their hotel room in Marshall, TX.
NENA
is pleased by the progress that is being made on this issue, and we stand with
Commissioner Pai in calling for further action. In this high-tech era, it is
unfortunate that such a high percentage of MLTS still require users to dial an
extra digit before 9-1-1 to reach an emergency professional.
NENA
reaffirms its readiness to work with the Congress and the FCC in drafting
legislation and regulations on this issue, and to work with the affected industries
to implement it. NENA advocates a system in which:
·
Callers to 9-1-1 are able to
reach help directly and immediately, with no other dialing codes or prefixes.
·
Precise, accurate location
data is delivered automatically with every 9-1-1 call.
·
Systems are in place to
provide on-site notifications, so that a front desk clerk, receptionist, or
other "gatekeeper” will be alerted to 9-1-1 calls made from the premises and
can help direct first responders to the scene of the emergency.
·
Policy makers ban "local
termination” of 9-1-1 calls, in which callers are routed to a front desk or
guard station, rather than the appropriate local 9-1-1 center.
9-1-1
professionals from across the country will gather in Washington February 22-25 to
educate policymakers on this and other 9-1-1 issues, as part of NENA’s annual 9-1-1
Goes to Washington
event.
NENA offers model
legislation and technical guidance to
help all stakeholders understand and address the issues involved in locating
9-1-1 callers in the MLTS environment. For more information, please visit http://www.nena.org/?MLTS_Legislation, or call NENA.
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