Emergency Services in the USA - Essay Example

The location where an E9-1-1 operator works are called the “Public Safety Answering Point” (PSAP) which are distributed across the length and breadth of the country and take action for every emergency call. Not all PSAps are equipped with wireless and wireline systems. In fact, many of the PSAPs have to make use of more advanced technology in order to meet all emergencies. All the PSAPs work in tandem with the local telephone company who has a database of all the numbers and addresses in that jurisdiction.

This is a two- way system that works through special 9- 1- 1 Selective Router.The use of mobile phones while dialing 911 in the United States posed a problem because the call was first directed to the state police on highway patrol who would then pass on the details to the right PSAPs, but now with the cellular boom it is difficult to gauge the right location from where the call had been made.According to the FCC rules in the U.S. every telephone in the vicinity of the 9-1-1 network should be able to have access to it, even in the event of it being disconnected for any reason.

In the case of VoIP service, if such phones dial the 9 – 1 – 1, it would go to their billing address only and not the desired location because such phones are only used indoors. Therefore, the FCC issued orders that all VoIP providers should provide the 9 – 1 -1 service to their clients in May 2005.However, in this age of advanced Internet communications, the issue of getting the right response and emergency services to the right location still poses some problems and the 9 -1 -1 personnel seem to be busier than ever attending to emergencies.

The government, however, is trying its best to still improve pockets in the emergency services. The FBI has contributed to this by making a listing of all the law – enforcement agencies of the United States in an online directory called ORION which is accessible only to certain special agencies.References "9-1-1 (FCC website)". http://www.fcc.gov/pshs/services/911-services/. Retrieved on 2008-11-06.  "What is NG9-1-1? (NENA website)". http://www.nena.org/media/File/NG9-1-1DefinitionFinal1.1.pdf.

Retrieved on 2008-10-16.