On November 21, 1988, Rhode Island activated its enhanced 9-1-1 emergency telephone system, the first state in the country to offer “enhanced†9-1-1 emergency calling on a statewide basis.
Fifteen years later, the Rhode Island E 9-1-1 Uniform Emergency Telephone System continues to lead the country in its progressive ability to process 9-1-1 emergency calls.
Governor Donald L. Carcieri noted the anniversary saying "In this age of increased emphasis on homeland security, we must ensure that our state and communities are prepared to meet any challenge. I'm pleased to say that Rhode Island's E-9-1-1 system is a shining example of our preparedness. Not only did Rhode Island lead the nation with the installation of the first statewide E-9-1-1 system, but we are currently the only state with the ability to track the source of a wireless E-9-1-1 call. This element of technology leadership is just one example of how we can use the concept of "innovation to scale" to do great things in a small place, and to continue to make Rhode Island a unique place to work and live."
“Enhanced,†in 1988, meant a 9-1-1 system’s ability to instantaneously display a calling party’s address and telephone number at the 9-1-1 call-taker’s station. This feature, still used for 9-1-1 calls from traditional wireline telephones, allows the 9-1-1 call-taker to quickly confirm the location of the emergency and to transfer the emergency call to the appropriate response agency.
Today, “enhanced†9-1-1 systems are those, like Rhode Island, that have the ability to also capture more accurate location information when a person uses a wireless telephone to call 9-1-1. Rhode Island has had this capability for almost two years, far ahead of most 9-1-1 systems.
Raymond LaBelle, Executive Director of the RI E 9-1-1 Uniform Emergency Telephone System, attributes Rhode Island’s progressive accomplishments to: (1) the RI General Assembly for creating the original “enhanced†system, led by State Representative Zygmunt J. Friedemann; (2) Col. Ernest E. Ricci for his leadership as the System’s first Executive Director; (3) the System’s Advisory Commission for its policy guidance; (4) the wireline and wireless telephone carriers operating in Rhode Island for their cooperation and communications services; (5) public safety officials—State, municipal, and federal--for their involvement in our mission (6) the System’s principal vendors for their services and assistance, including Verizon, AK Associates 9-1-1, Inc., CML Technologies, and microData GIS, Inc.
“The most important factor in our accomplishments, however,†continued LaBelle, “has been the 9-1-1 staff.†“Not only have our call-takers handled 4,719,457 calls since the System’s inception with very few hitches, but they’ve adapted to changing technology that enables us to provide the latest in “enhanced†emergency communications services to Rhode Islanders.†LaBelle also credits the System’s small administrative staff for handling multiple management demands that are typically handled by far larger administrative staffs in other jurisdictions.
“Today,†LaBelle concluded, we celebrate our past accomplishments, but—more importantly--commit ourselves to improving public safety in today’s more complicated and threatening world.â€