TO: ALL WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATEURS
ALL NON-WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS AMATERUS
FROM: KEN HARRIS WA8LLM
WOOD COUNTY EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS INCORPORATED
WOOD COUNTY BULLETIN NR 11.10 DATE: March 6, 2011
SUBJECT: GIVE IT TIME, DON'T HANG UP
Even with all of today's electronic technology, some things are still not lightening fast. Take the Enhanced 911 or E-911 systems for one thing. If you have an emergency, and you dial 911 do you have any idea what has to happen?
If you're calling from a landline telephone, the telephone system has to determine where you're calling from, determine who you're calling, make the electronic connection by searching for a vacant path to the distant end, make a record of the connection, and ring the telephone at the distance end.
If the emergency call is from a Cellular Telephone the process takes longer because it has to determine what Cellular Telephone Company is being used, find the best route to get the connection to the distant end, and make records of the connection so they can be charged.
Both of these calls take a short amount of time, but in an emergency even a short amount of time seems like forever. Now let's add the rest of process of dialing of an emergency number. Not only does the telephone offices make the connection, they also have to retrieve the calling telephone number, then go into a database, which may not be located in the same city or state, retrieve the name and address of the calling party, send all of the information to the 911 center, and make a record of the call.
While all of this is taking place, an audible ringing sound lets you know the call process is under way. The ringing you hear IS NOT the actual ringing of the telephone on the distant end, it is just a way to let you know your call is being processed.
Since all of the above has to happen, you may hear as many as three or four rings before the called party's telephone actually starts to ring. In most E-911 Centers the dispatchers are instructed to answer the phone by the third ring, but if they're not busy, answering other emergency calls, they answer the call on the first ring.
It's possible that you may hear as many as seven or eight rings before your call is actually answered. You have to remember, that you may not be the only person calling in the same emergency, which means that more of the emergency lines are tied up, and a different emergency may have wait.
When you dial an emergency number stay on the line and let the call be answered, don't hang up after you hear two or three rings, because the phone on the other end may not have even started to ring yet. By hanging up and dialing again, you have delayed getting the assistance you may need. Just hang in there, your call will be answered.
Ken Harris WA8LLM
WCEC
Wood County WV