MY BLOG: An open email written by me yesterday

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

An open email written by me yesterday

to the Florida House Committee hearing bill PCB GAP 10-03:

I understand a bill that will be heard in committee for the first time tomorrow that will affect the ability of the public to ensure the E911 system is held to appropriate standards. The committee bill, PCB GAP 10-03, would exempt from the Florida Sunshine Laws all recordings of E911 calls. The public would be limited to a redacted transcript of the call available only after 60 days. I have grave concerns that the public would not be able to review the work of the E911 telecommunicators if this bill passes, because they would not be subject to review by anyone other than their departments. It is important for you to know that we strongly oppose this bill. And believe it would detrimental to public safety for many reasons. Many of you know the details of our tragedy and you know we have been fighting for improvements to our 9-1-1 system. How are we to fight for improvements if we are denied access to this information? How are independent studies to be conducted if denied access to this information? How is the public expected to vote for improvements if they do not know all the facts and are only told feel good stories? How was I ever to understand what went wrong in Denise’s case if I did not have access to the calls? For more information go to deniseamberlee.org .
While I appreciate and understand your concern for the impact listening to these phone calls in the media over and over again and how heartbreaking they are, I beg you to vote NO to this bill. I KNOW what it is like to relive a tragedy by hearing 9-1-1 calls on TV over and over again. But still believe that people need to know and they have a right to know how their public servants are performing. Consider this! Our sheriff is an elected official. How are voters to make educated informed votes if they are not informed?
Please do not pass this bill!
Thank you and thank you for your service,
Peggy Lee
Denise Amber Lee Foundation

Attn: Cell Phone Users

I'm adapting this from a pamphlet Mark picked up from the California NENA conference out in San Diego.

When Dialing 9-1-1 From Your Cell Phone

1. Call only for immediate emergency assistance - medical, fire, or police.

2. Be prepared to provide your location and any essential information the dispatcher may need.

3. Stay on the line until told to hang up. You may be transferred to another agency.

added edit

Cell phones cannot "text" 9-1-1. During the Virginia Tech massacre, many students tried texting 9-1-1 because they were afraid the killer would hear them.

Do not assume 9-1-1 can find you when using a cell phone. Cell phone signals go to the nearest "available" tower.

IMO, always call 9-1-1 in an emergency unless you are sure others have already called.

And, IMO, if you are distraught, if possible have a neighbor or other family member call 9-1-1 for you. They will most likely be able to listen and give clearer instructions.

Help Reduce Unnecessary Calls

Use non-emergency numbers for your local law enforcement agency when you do not need immediate assistance.

If medical, fire or police are already on scene, it is not necessary to call 9-1-1 again. Instead, call a non-emergency number if you have additional information and witnessed the incident.

Do not call 9-1-1 for non-emergecy incidents (i.e., requesting road conditions, asking why traffic is backed up, requesting driving directions, or other similar reasons). Be prepared; contact your local FHP (Florida Highway Patrol) office directly, using a non-emergency number.

Use or maintain a landline at home and at work for 9-1-1 calls, as the dispatcher is more likely to get accurate location information from a landline.

Using 9-1-1 in non-emergency situations prevents critical emergencies from being attended to.

DID YOU KNOW?

Almost everyone in the U.S. owns a cell phone and some households do not use a landline at all. Consequently, hundreds of thousands of wireless 9-1-1 calls are made daily nationwide.

Far too many cellular 9-1-1 phone calls, both non-emergency and repeat calls for the same incident, are tying up the 9-1-1 phone system. This results in unnecessary busy signals, disconnects, and delays in dispatch time for ture 9-1-1 emergency calls.

Not every 9-1-1 call is answered by your local law enforcement agency. Cell phone providers try to calculate you approximate location using cell towers or satellite positioning. If they cannot, the call will likely default to the Florida Highway Patrol and then be transferred to the appropriate agency. This means that non-emergency or repeat calls are wasting critical minutes or dispatchers' time.

If you call 9-1-1 from you cell phone or an inactive phone, your phone number and location information may not be available to the dispatcher. Know your surroundings (street address, landmarks, mileposts) when calling 9-1-1. This will save valuable seconds in an emergency.

Avoid accidental 9-1-1 calls

Accidental cell phone calls can congest the 9-1-1 phone system. Accidental calls occur when the phone is placed in a pocket, belt clip, or purse, and a pre-programmed emergency button is bumped. Even a locked phone can dial 9-1-1.

Help Avoid Accidental Calls With the Following Tips

Do not hang up on an accidental 9-1-1 call. Inform the dispatcher that the call was an accident before you hang up.

Do not pre-program 9-1-1 into your or your child's cell phone's speed dial. This can lead to accidental calls.

Teach your child how and when to dial 9-1-1 from a cell phone. Train them to press 9-1-1 and the "send" button only in an emergency.

Even cell phones without active service can dial 9-1-1. Take batteries out of cell phones before recycling them or giving them to a child to play with.

Don't call 9-1-1 to check to see if you cell phone works. 9-1-1 is to be used for emergency calls only.

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Wednesday, March 3, 2010

An open email written by me yesterday

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Attn: Cell Phone Users