For the last several years, 911 dispatch centers across the country have been working hard to get better real-time locational data from callers. Well, Denver 9-1-1, the city's emergency dispatch call center, is convinced they've made real progress.
According to a Monday news release, 911 dispatchers are getting fast and accurate locational data courtesy iPhones running iOS 12 or Android with versions 4.0 and higher. According to the agency's director, 95 percent of callers use a cell phone when dialing 911.
Through their partnership with Rapid SOS, a group aimed at assisting local dispatchers, Denver 9-1-1 will get accurate location data much faster, meaning they can send emergency response vehicles even faster.
9NEWS reached out to Kelli Christensen, Denver's Department of Public Safety communications director, who said that users do not need to opt-in to the program; if their phone is upgraded to iOS 12, phones will automatically provide the caller's location.
Before this update, dispatchers had to be told where the caller was calling from or try and ping off a local cell tower - but that would cause delays or even provide the wrong address altogether as this could only be narrowed down to an 150-meter search radius.
Athena Butler, the executive director of Denver 9-1-1, gave examples of why the radius of locations before the change was a problem.
“Say there is parade going on and you are down the other end of it, here's 300 people in between,” Butler said. In cases like that, an 150-meter radius wouldn't be that helpful.
Denver 9-1-1 said in their press release that the new update means cell phones now join landlines in providing exact locations to dispatchers.
Also new: the feature will work for those using the text to 911 feature if they can't talk to a dispatcher. While some Androids can provide precise data, it's not consistent across all devices.
The amount of people utilizing the Rapid SOS technology is also increasing. Denver 9-1-1 shared the numbers of growth:
- September 1 – September 15 = 24280 inbound 911 calls, 36 Rapid SOS locations = .15%
- September 15 – September 30 = 23832 inbound 911 calls, 919 Rapid SOS locations = 3.8%
- October 1 – October 15 = 21695 inbound 911 calls, 4,802 Rapid SOS locations = 22%
Denver 9-1-1 says the increase in percentage for Rapid SOS locations indicates that as people are upgrading, dispatchers are getting more improved locations.
