TMCnet News
Rible Bill Requiring 9-1-1 Centers to Accept Emergency Texts Advances(Targeted News Service Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) TRENTON, N.J., Sept. 18 -- The New Jersey Assembly Republicans issued the following news release: People will be better able to get help in emergency situations under bipartisan legislation Assembly Republican Conference Leader David Rible sponsors that will allow cell phone users to text 911 emergency messages. The bill, A-3461, today cleared the Assembly Telecommunications and Utilities Committee. "Texting for help could save lives," said Rible, R-Monmouth and Ocean, a former police officer. "There are times when it's not possible, or even dangerous to make a phone call. If an intruder is in your house, texting for help is probably the safest means of notifying emergency personnel of your situation." Rible's bill ensures that New Jersey's 911 centers will make the updates needed to receive and respond to text messages. It requires 911 answering centers to be equipped to handle text messages within three years of enactment, requires the system to be consistent with federal law, and increases the monthly 911 System and Emergency Response fee by only nine cents per month to pay for it. The Federal Communication Commission (FCC) is moving forward with making Text 911 available nationwide by requiring all U.S. wireless carriers to support 911 text messaging by the end of 2014. The wireless carriers must be able to respond to state programs to deliver text messages by June 30, 2015. CC AutoTriage12bkp-140919-30VitinMar-4865706 (c) 2014 Targeted News Service |