CALL 9-1-1
FROM ANYWHERE
This past
week, President Clinton signed the papers to make 911 the official nationwide
emergency phone number.
Many people
in this nation not only have phones in their homes but also have mobile
phones or cellular phones. For emergencies in a home, one dials 911
to reach the emergency services. However, at this time, people cannot
dial 911 for an emergency from a mobile or cellular phone. There are
currently 20 different combinations of numbers and symbols or codes
that people have to dial from a cellular phone to report an emergency.
An estimated 98,000 emergency calls are made from cellular phones around
the nation daily. The goal of having one universal number is to get
help to the people who need it quicker.
President
Clinton wanted to make it easier for people on all phones to call in
an emergency so help could be sent as soon as possible. Clinton said,
"People with wireless phones now will be able to speed responses to
highway accidents, crimes, and natural disasters. Getting rapid care
to someone who is suffering from a heart attack or is involved in a
car crash can mean the difference between life and death."
