E911 (Enhanced 911) is an emergency telephone system in North America that provides enhanced capabilities for locating and responding to emergency calls. It is an upgraded version of the traditional 911 emergency service that incorporates additional features to assist emergency services in locating callers.
E911 was developed to address the limitations of the original 911 system, which primarily relied on the caller to provide their location verbally. With E911, the emergency services can automatically receive the caller’s location information, which is particularly important for mobile phones.
Here are some key features of E911:
Automatic Number Identification (ANI): E911 automatically provides the emergency call center with the caller’s telephone number, allowing them to quickly identify the caller’s location and retrieve any associated information.
Automatic Location Identification (ALI): E911 enables the transmission of the caller’s location information to the emergency call center. For traditional landlines, this is typically the address associated with the phone number. For mobile phones, it may include GPS coordinates or triangulation data from nearby cell towers.
Callback Capability: E911 allows emergency call centers to call back the caller if the call gets disconnected or if additional information is needed.
Support for Text Messages: E911 systems are increasingly being enhanced to support text messaging, allowing individuals to send text messages to emergency services when making a voice call is not possible or safe.
The implementation and capabilities of E911 can vary depending on the location and the technology infrastructure in place. It is crucial for individuals to provide accurate location information when making emergency calls to ensure prompt and effective response from emergency services.