Thursday, February 15, 2018
Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and Springfield Emergency Communications Director D. Jeremy DeMar announce the City of Springfield’s recognition of the 50th anniversary of the first 911 call.
On February 16, 1968, Alabama Speaker of the House, Mr. Rankin Fite, made the first 9-1-1 call from the Haleyville City Hall. From that small beginning, 9-1-1 technology has become more sophisticated in response to consumer expectations. Each advancement has improved our nation’s ability to get better, more reliable information to first responders so they can do their job of saving lives and property.
Last year, the Massachusetts State 9-1-1 Department completed the statewide deployment of a Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) system. The new system substantially improves handling of 9-1-1 calls made from cell phones, supports texts, and eventually, multi-media communications, and enables quicker verification of call location, reducing response time.
“I’d like to thank Director DeMar and our brave and dedicated 9-1-1 professionals, the ‘gatekeepers’, for their continued cool, calm and caring efforts in getting out the essential information to our first responders in order to save lives and structures,” said Mayor Sarno.
Director DeMar stated, “The work of America’s 9-1-1 professionals is vital when it comes to the safety and security of our citizens and first responders. Our Call Takers and Dispatchers work in a high-stress environment, often as traumatic events are unfolding. These unsung heroes, operating in the background and behind closed doors, are the hub of public safety nationally and here in Springfield. I am extremely proud of the men and women who work for Springfield Emergency Communications, and of the work these professionals do each day to keep our residents, firefighters, and law enforcement officers safe.”
For more information on the first 9-1-1 call and the history of the 9-1-1 system, please visit the following page on NENA’s website https://www.nena.org/?page=911overviewfacts and the following page on APCO’s website https://911saveslives.org/.