CONTACT:

TIMOTHY WIXOM
911 DIRECTOR
664-2991

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    05/11/2005

The 911 system is now operational in Steuben County! The 911 Center is now answering all land-based and cellular 911 calls.

The first two questions that will always be asked when you call are:

1. What is the location of the emergency (where is help needed)
2. What is the nearest cross street or cross road?

These two questions help us determine exactly where help is needed


Our 911 System has equal access for the hearing impaired and for those that speak a foreign language.  For the hearing impaired our system automatically acknowledges the use of a TTD/TTY and the dispatcher will type questions to the person. For those that do not speak English, the dispatcher will use an interpreter system to speak to you.

If you dial 911 by mistake please do not hang up. Once you dial the last 1 in 911 we get your telephone number and address from the phone company and we will call you back. If your phone is busy or you do not pick up the phone we will send the appropriate law enforcement agency to determine why someone called 911.

As of today, Verizon Wireless is the only cellular carrier that is sending us the location of the calling person (Phase 2 information*). If you are a Verizon Wireless customer we will know where you are standing within a few hundred feet. As soon as the other cellular companies are able to send us the caller’s location we will let the public know.

*Cellular phases

• Phase 0 – We answer the call and the only information we have is your telephone number
• Phase 1 – We answer the call and we have your telephone number and we know which cellular tower you are using. (We need phase 1 to get to phase 2)
• Phase 2 – We answer the call and we have your telephone number and we know which cellular tower you are using. Approximately 15 seconds later the system can determine where you are located within several hundred feet. If you are in a moving vehicle we can determine where you are every 30 seconds.

Please make sure your house/business has the proper address posted on the front of the building. It is important that the emergency responders can locate your house/business quickly. If you have questions about your address or how to post your numbers properly call the administrative staff at the 911 Center at 607-664-2991.

For companies, schools and banks that have their own telephone switch in their building (commonly known as a PBX), please check to see where you are sending the call if someone from within your complex dials 911. Prior to this announcement your agency may have routed that call to a seven digit number. Now is the time to send all of those calls to 911. (This information pertains to large buildings or companies that have an internal telephone system). If your company, school, bank, etc. needs more information on determining where your 911 calls are going please call the 911 Deputy Director David Hopkins at 607-664-2991.