Answer: The simple answer is: over 35 years ago, in 1968. It was Robert Fitzgerald and his colleagues who implemented the first 911 system in Haleyville (Ala.) in 1968 after AT&T announced their designation of 911 as a universal emergency number at a press conference in the Washington (DC) office of Indiana. On 2 p.m., Friday, Feb. 16, 1968 just 35 days after AT&T's announcement of 911, the first-ever 911 call is placed by Alabama Speaker of the House Rankin Fite from Haleyville City Hall to U.S. Rep. Tom Bevill (Dem.) at the city's police station. Bevill reportedly answered the phone with "Hello." Attending with Fite was Haleyville mayor James Whitt. At the police station with Bevill was Gallagher and Alabama Public Service Commission director Eugene "Bull" Connor (formerly the Birmingham police chief involved in federal desegregation of the city's schools). Fitzgerald was at the ATC central office serving Haleyville, and actually observed the call pass through the switching gear, as the mechanical equipment clunked out "9-1-1." The phone used to answer the first 911 call, a bright red model, is now in a museum in Haleyville, while a duplicate phone is still in use at the police station. It was not until 1972 that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recommends that 911 be implemented nationwide, and 1973 that The White House's Office of Telecommunications issues National Policy Bulletin Number 73-1, which recognizes the benefits of 911 and encouraging its nationwide adoption. The statement also provided for the establishment of a Federal Information Center to assist jurisdictions in planning and implementing 911 systems. In part, the policy said, "it is the policy of the Federal Government to encourage local authorities to adopt and establish 9-1-1 emergency telephone systems in all metropolitan areas and throughout the United States. Whenever practicable, efforts should be initiated in both urban and rural areas at the same time." In March 31, 1998 according to NENA, the first Phase I system (wireless calls display caller's phone number and address of receiving antenna tower) in the U.S. was in Allen County (Ind.), involving wireless carrier Centennial Communications, location company XYPOINT, and phone provider GTE Network Services. October 26, 1999 President Clinton signs Senate Bill 800, which designates 911 as the nationwide emergency telephone number.

Answer: As soon as you dial 911 our system starts recording everything said and dispatchers answer the phone and your phone number along with your name and address will show up on our screens telling us who is calling and where you are calling from, along with a map showing us your location, even if your on a cell phone! We then put your information into our Computer Aided Dispatch Software (CAD) and send the appropriate people to help you. If you are needing medical help we will transfer you to MEMS ambulance service after we get your information.

Answer: Nine-one-one is the number most people in the U.S. and some in International countries call to get help in a police, fire or medical emergency. In some places, you may be able to be connected with Poison Control by calling 9-1-1, but you should check with local officials in your area to make sure. A 9-1-1 call goes over dedicated phone lines to the 9-1-1 answering point closest to the caller, and trained personnel then send the emergency help needed.

Answer: Enhanced 9-1-1, or E9-1-1, is a system which routes an emergency call to the 9-1-1 center closest to the caller, AND automatically displays the caller's phone number and address. The 9-1-1 call taker will typically ask the caller to verify the information, which appears on his or her computer screen.

Answer: Each household or business pays a small monthly fee for 9-1-1 service on each telephone line that appears on their phone bill. There is no per-call charge for calling 9-1-1. However, EMS/ambulances dispatched through 9-1-1 may charge for taking someone to the hospital; this is a separate ambulance charge, not a 9-1-1 charge.

Answer: Nine-one-one is only to be used in emergency situations. An emergency is any situation that requires immediate assistance from the police/sheriff, the fire department or an ambulance. If you are ever in doubt of whether a situation is an emergency you should call 9-1-1. It's better to be safe and let the 9-1-1 call taker determine if you need emergency assistance.

• Do not call 9-1-1:

1. For information
2. For directory assistance
3. When you're bored and just want to talk
4. For paying tickets (please call the records dept. at Conway PD)
5. For your pet
6. As a Prank

If you call 9-1-1 by mistake, do not hang up. Tell the call taker what happened so they know there really isn't an emergency.

Answer: It's a prank call when someone calls 9-1-1 for a joke, or calls 9-1-1 and hangs up. Prank calls not only waste time and money, but can also be dangerous. If 9-1-1 lines or call takers are busy with prank calls, someone with a real emergency may not be able to get the help they need. In most places, it's against the law to make prank 9-1-1 calls.

• Answer: In an emergency, dial 9-1-1 on your phone. It's a free call. You can use any kind of phone: push button, rotary, cellular/wireless, cordless, or pay phone. (With some pay phones, you may need coins to get a dial tone; with many wireless phones, Enhanced 9-1-1 does not yet work.) Stay calm and state your emergency Speak loudly and clearly. Give the 9-1-1 call taker your name, phone number and the address where help is needed. Answer the call taker's questions. Stay on the telephone if it's safe to do so, and don't hang up until the call taker tells you to.

First, take heed of the following adage:

The design of the Enhanced 911 system in Conway is based upon the premise that every telephone customer has a valid street address, which includes a house number and a street name. If your street sign is missing, contact your local government to have it replaced.

Make sure your house number is clearly visible to a vehicle passing by on your street. Four-inch numbers (not spelled out) are preferred. Since emergency responders use one address to find another, you will not only be helping yourself, you will be helping your neighbors.

Educate small children about what to do in an emergency. Even very young children can use Enhanced 911 to get help. As long as the child can dial 911, the system will display the address that the child is calling from for the dispatcher to send help.

Answer: When necessary, a 9-1-1 call taker can add an interpreter from an outside service to the line. A non-English speaking caller may hear a short conversation in English and some clicking sounds as the interpreter is added to the line.

Answer: Communications centers that answer 9-1-1 calls have special text telephones for responding to 9-1-1 calls from Deaf or hearing/speech impaired callers.

• If a caller uses a TTY/TDD, the caller should: Stay calm, place the phone receiver in the TTY, dial 9-1-1. After the call is answered, press the TTY keys several times. This may help shorten the time necessary to respond to the call. Give the call taker time to connect their TTY. If necessary, press the TTY keys again. The 9-1-1 call taker should answer and type "GA" for Go Ahead.
• Tell what is needed-police, fire department, or ambulance. Give your name, phone number and the address where help is needed. Stay on the telephone if it is safe. Answer the call taker's questions.

If a Deaf or hearing/speech impaired caller doesn't have a TTY/TDD, the caller should call 9-1-1 and don't hang up. Not hanging up leaves the line open. With most 9-1-1 calls, the caller's address is displayed on the call taker's screen and help will be sent.

All Calls Annually:	An estimated 200 million calls to 9-1-1 in the U.S. each year.
Population Covered:	99% (at least basic 9-1-1)
Geographic U.S. Covered:	96% (at least basic 9-1-1)
Basic 9-1-1:	Basic 9-1-1 means that when the three-digit number is dialed, a call taker/dispatcher in the local public safety answering point (PSAP), or 9-1-1 call center, answers the call. The emergency and its location are communicated by voice (or TTY) between the caller and the call taker.
Enhanced 9-1-1:	In areas serviced by enhanced 9-1-1, the local 9-1-1 center has equipment and database information that display the caller's phone number and address to the call taker. The term "enhanced 9-1-1" is not synonymous with wireless 9-1-1. (This is your Conway 911 center)
Wireless Phase I:	When Phase I has been implemented, the call taker automatically receives the wireless call-back number. This is important in the event the wireless phone call is dropped, and may even allow PSAP employees to work with the wireless company to identify the wireless subscriber. Phase I also delivers the location of the cell tower handling the call.
Wireless Phase II:	Phase II allows call takers to receive both the caller's wireless phone number and their location information.
Wireless 9-1-1 Progress:	The United States has 6,121 primary and secondary PSAPs. Based on NENA’s preliminary assessment of the most recent FCC quarterly filings: 7% have either basic 9-1-1 or no 9-1-1 93% have enhanced 9-1-1 for wireline callers 37% have some Phase I 10% have some Phase II