Emergency wireless program growing

More than two-thirds of the U.S. population is now covered by phase II of the national wireless E9-1-1 program.

The National Emergency Number Association said Thursday that more than two-thirds of the nation's population now resides in areas where wireless 9-1-1 includes delivery of the caller's call-back number and location to the appropriate public safety answering point (PSAP). The association added, however, that while this landmark percentage was reached in recent weeks, there are still large areas of the country (57.3 percent of counties) not yet providing this important service to wireless customers.

"The 9-1-1 community and wireless industry can be proud of reaching this benchmark," said NENA President David Jones. "However, much work still needs to be done to provide this life-saving service in the significantly high number of counties, predominately rural, where it is still not available. The public needs and deserves wireless E9-1-1, regardless of where they live or where they may visit or travel through. It remains critical that Congress provide funding to implement the ENHANCE 911 Act grant program."

Copyright 2005 by United Press International