
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the First 911 Call
The 50th anniversary of the first 911 call, made on February 16, 1968, in Haleyville, Alabama, has arrived. In 1968, it would be difficult to imagine that an estimated 240 million 911 calls would be made annually, 80% of them from cellular devices. With the increasing number of calls from mobile phones, there is concern that 911 has not kept pace with advancing technology. The question that inevitably gets asked is, “Uber and Facebook know my location, why doesn’t 911?” When seconds count in life and death situations, concern from the public is understandable. Today, 911 is on the verge of a much-needed upgrade, and geographic information is a critical component.
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