Dutchess County, NY-wireless 911 in place

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/DC_cell911-02Mar06.htm

Dutchess wireless 911 in place

If you dial 911 from a cell phone in Dutchess County, the emergency telephone system will now be able to locate you. Previously only wired phone locations could be identified.

County Executive William Steinhaus said being able to locate emergency cell phone 911 calls will significantly shorten response time in emergency situations.

“There have been situations where individuals have called from a cell phone in a tragic kind of a situation, or some kind of an accident, or some kind of a public safety calamity, and couldn’t say where they are,” he said.

All six wireless carriers serving Dutchess County are now sending Wireless 911 calls to the county’s 911 center. These carriers include: Verizon Wireless, Cingular, Dobson – US Cellular, Nextel, Sprint and T-Mobile.

“All owners of wireless or cell devices are encouraged to contact their service provider and make sure their wireless device will transmit the X-Y coordinates properly in the event of an emergency requiring a 9-1-1 call,” Steinhaus said. “The technology advances are significant, but what is most important, is ensuring the safety of our county residents and this new capability could very well save someone’s life.”