Washington – A new report by a public safety group throws into question the ability of police and firefighters to locate people through their cellphones when they dial 911 in an emergency.
The study is believed to be the first independent evaluation of wireless location technology and sends a clear message: Do not assume rescuers will know where you are if you call 911 from a cellphone.
The report was commissioned by the Association of Public Safety Communications Officials International, or APCO.
The Associated Press was given an advance copy of the study, which will be officially released in May.
Carriers are required to test their location systems and to be able to pinpoint callers within certain distances. But they are not required to share their test results with 911 dispatchers, police and firefighters. And the Federal Communications Commission does no testing of its own.
So using a grant from the Public Safety Foundation of America, APCO began work in August 2005 to find out on its own how well the systems were working.
The answer? Not very well.
Tests were conducted in seven communities across the country – Palo Alto, Calif.; Marion County, Fla.; Jasper County, Mo.; Onondaga County, N.Y.; Rowan County, N.C.; Bexar County, Texas; and Laramie. The cities were selected based on topography, demographics, existing technology and other factors.
APCO declined to identify the cellphone companies and was careful in its criticism of the industry. But the details tell the story.
The FCC requires companies that use “network” technology – triangulating among cell towers to determine the caller’s location – to come within 300 meters of the caller 95 percent of the time.
The company identified as “carrier No. 001” was unable to come within 300 meters of the 911 caller 73 percent of the time in Onondaga County, 64 percent of the time in Marion County and 61 percent of the time in Jasper County.
Two companies tested used network technology primarily while five used “handset” technology, meaning they use global positioning system satellites to locate callers.
Federal rules require companies using satellites to come within 150 meters for 95 percent of calls.
Carrier No. 002 was able to hit inside the target area 90 percent of the time in Bexar County, 89 percent of the time in Laramie, 87 percent of the time in Onondaga County and 80 percent of the time in Palo Alto.
In the vast majority of cases, people who call 911 from their cellphone are able to provide their location. But sometimes they cannot.
William A. Cade Jr., project coordinator with APCO, recalls a one-car accident in Missouri where the caller was unable to provide a location and a young person “died by the side of the road” before help could arrive.
Results varied based on carriers and geography.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin told AP earlier this month that he will recommend to the commission that it order companies to begin testing at the community, or “public safety answering point” level.
The report also pointed out a need for 911 call centers to work closely with providers and the importance of public education.
The issue has become more critical as the number of 911 calls from cellphones exceeds those coming from land lines, public safety experts say.
