Dateline NBC Misses the Point In Miami Wireless 9-1-1 Death
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (March 1, 2001)--In a special report that aired Feb. 27, "A Frantic Call For Help," Dateline NBC correspondent Len Cannon outlined the tragic death of Karla Gutierrez, the Miramar (Fla.) woman who died Feb. 16 when her car sank in a canal off Florida's Turnpike. Cannon failed to report the most important aspect of the story--Gutierrez may still be alive today if the 9-1-1 center she called from her cell phone was able to immediately determine her location. This would require location technology the majority of the nation's PSAPs do not have but that is available.
Blaming the public safety call taker for spending most of the three and a half minute call attempting to determine Gutierrez's location, Dateline NBC focused on the dispatcher's actions, missing the fact that many of those actions would have been unnecessary had location determination technology been in place.
In many emergency situations, the caller is incapacitated and cannot provide the 9-1-1 call taker with his or her location, or is unaware the location information is not immediately identified as it is in wireline calls.
Instead of focusing on the alleged negligence of the dispatcher, the segment should have focused on carriers complying with FCC mandates to begin implementation of this lifesaving technology. Without it, dispatchers must obtain the location of an emergency caller verbally. Many tragedies like this will continue to occur if carriers do not begin providing this service to 9-1-1 centers.
Implementation has been slow, mostly due to carrier reluctance, lack of funding and lack of individual state wireless enhanced 9-1-1 legislation. The Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International (APCO) has been pushing for this technology implementation since 1992. The association has formed a committee dedicated to helping PSAPs get this technology before more lives are lost.
The Project 38 committee, comprised of communications directors from across the nation, will help PSAPs prepare requests for location technology services from cellular carriers. It will work with carriers, local and state government and the FCC to achieve the goal of wireless enhanced 9-1-1 implementation, identifying the needs of PSAPs, pushing for legislation and helping to provide PSAPs with much-needed funding.
APCO President Lyle Gallagher said, "Blaming telecommunicators for actions or inaction resulting from the lack of this existing technology is merely clouding the issue. Until adequate pressure is exerted to force the cellular companies to implement the technology, tragedies like this one will continue to make headlines. Unfortunately, in this instance, Dateline NBC missed a great opportunity to help us get the word out and exert that pressure."
APCO is the oldest and largest public safety communications organization with more than 15,000 members worldwide. They include police, fire, emergency medical services, forestry, military and government personnel who manage and operate public safety communications facilities throughout the world.
