1 What's the first thing you learned to do in an emergency? If you're like most people in the U.S., you were probably taught from a very young age to dial 911 when you need help. Is someone really hurt or sick? Call 911. Is there a fire or do you need the police? Call 911. And you were probably also taught that 911 is not a toy or a joke-we only call 911 when there's a serious situation requiring help from firefighters, paramedics, or police officers.
2 Today, it seems like 911 has been around forever. But it took many years and a great deal of work before the first 911 call was made on this day in history-February 16-in 1968. Let's take a closer look at this universal emergency number in the U.S. It has saved countless lives but has also led to some unusual calls.
Who Can You Call? 911!
3 The first universal emergency number was established in Great Britain in 1937. But it wasn't 911-it was 999! With the success of the UK's emergency calling system, other countries began looking into the idea of developing similar ones. It would take many years, however, for most countries to put these systems in place. In the U.S., the city of Los Angeles, California, established 116 as an emergency number in 1946. But the idea would not go national for many years.
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In 1957, the U.S. National Association of Fire Chiefs called for the creation of a single, nationwide number that could be used to report fires. The recommendation would prove to be the starting point for the 911 system. But it took a while. A decade later, in November 1967, the President's Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice started working with other groups to set up the necessary technology for a nationwide 911 system.
5 Just four months later, on February 16, 1968, Senator Rankin Fite made the first ceremonial 911 call from Haleyville, Alabama. A national, universal emergency number was born.
6 The decision to make "911" the lucky combination was practical. From a caller's side, it's short and easy to remember. From the phone company's side, it was a number that had never been issued for anything-like an area code-in the U.S.
7 It took many years, of course, for 911 to be established throughout the U.S. By year end 1976, 911 service reached only 17 percent of the population. But by 2023, that number had climbed to 99 percent. And in modern times, 911 calls use Enhanced 911 (E911) technology. This allows emergency operators to see a caller's location and provide faster response times.
Accidents Will Happen
8 Being able to call 911 is great if you're in an accident. But what if your accident is, well, accidentally calling 911? If you inadvertently dialehe numbers, it's important that you stay on the phone and explain your mistake to the operator. There's no penalty for an accidental 911 dial. And if you hang up, the operator will call back to make sure it's not an emergency.
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Over the years, law enforcement has reported a lot of strange incidents coming from 911 calls. One involved a burglar in Ohio. He pocket-dialed the number while robbing a house. This summoned the police and led to his arrest. An angry customer in Florida called 911 twice to report that a restaurant had made his sandwich incorrectly. And when a 10-year-old boy in Massachusetts called 911, it turned out that he was upset about his bedtime.
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We may find these stories amusing. But it's important to remember that calling 911 is no joke. Making a prank 911 call can lead to fines and even jail time. Used properly, however, 911 is a reliable U.S. service that will bring emergency services to you quickly. It's always there when you need it.
On February 16, 1968, a senator made the first ceremonial 911 call from Haleyville, Alabama. A national emergency number was born. But why "911"? It was practical. The numbers were easy to remember. And they'd never been used for anything in the U.S.
The number "911" was the choice.
A brave
B perfect
C fake
D secret