The numeral " 911 " is the world-wide emergency number in the United States . In 2017 , approximately 240 million birdcall were made to 911 , accord to theNational Emergency turn Association(NENA ) .
Prior to 1968 , there was no stock pinch routine . People called the routine of the nearestpolice stationor fire department when they had an emergency . As far back as 1957 , the National Association of Fire Chiefs advocate the habit of a single telephone number for report fire .
prefer 911 as the oecumenical parking brake number was not an arbitrary selection , but it was n’t a difficult one either . In 1967 , theFederal Communications Commission(FCC ) met withAT&Tto make such an hand brake numeral . They need a telephone number that was short and easy to remember . More significantly , they needed a unparalleled turn , and since 911 had never been designated for an office codification , area codification or servicing code , that was the number they chose .
Soon after , the U.S. Congress agreed to abide 911 as the exigency number criterion for the nation and go past legislating get 911 the exclusive number for any emergency forebode service . A cardinal part was set up by the Bell System to develop the infrastructure for the arrangement .
On Feb. 16 , 1968 , Alabama Senator Rankin Fite made the first 911 call in the United States in Haleyville , Alabama . The Alabama Telephone Company deport the call . A week after , Nome , Alaska , apply a 911 arrangement . In 1973 , the White House ’s Office of Telecommunication issued a interior program line supporting the usance of 911 and pushed for the establishment of a Federal Information Center to assist political science agency in implementing the arrangement .
After its initial acceptance in the late 1960s , 911 systems quickly spread across the area . By 1979 , about 26 percentage of the United States universe had 911 service , and nine body politic had glide by statute law for a statewide 911 system . Through the latter part of the 1970s , 911 service grew at a rate of 70 fresh local arrangement per class , according to the NENA . Approximately 50 percent of the U.S. population had 911 service by 1987 . By 1999 , about 95 percentage of the U.S. universe was cover by 911 service . 911 work for both landline and wireless calls .
