[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 44 (Wednesday, March 30, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S1995]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 118--DESIGNATING APRIL 2011 AS ``NATIONAL 9-1-1 
                           EDUCATION MONTH''

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR (for herself and Mr. Burr) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 118

       Whereas 9-1-1 is nationally recognized as the number to 
     call in an emergency to receive immediate help from police, 
     fire, emergency medical services, or other appropriate 
     emergency response entities;
       Whereas in 1967, the President's Commission on Law 
     Enforcement and Administration of Justice recommended that 
     ``a single number should be established'' nationwide for 
     reporting emergency situations, and other Federal Government 
     agencies and various governmental officials also supported 
     and encouraged the recommendation;
       Whereas in 1968 the American Telephone and Telegraph 
     Company (AT&T) announced that it would establish the digits 
     9-1-1 as the emergency code throughout the United States;
       Whereas 9-1-1 was designated by Congress as the national 
     emergency call number under the Wireless Communications and 
     Public Safety Act of 1999 (Public Law 106-81);
       Whereas section 102 of the ENHANCE 911 Act of 2004 (47 
     U.S.C. 942 note) declared an enhanced 9-1-1 system to be ``a 
     high national priority'' and part of ``our Nation's homeland 
     security and public safety'';
       Whereas it is important that policy makers at all levels of 
     government understand the importance of 9-1-1, how the system 
     works today, and the steps that are needed to modernize the 
     9-1-1 system;
       Whereas the 9-1-1 system is the connection between the 
     public and the emergency response system in the United States 
     and is often the first place emergencies of all magnitudes 
     are reported, making 9-1-1 a significant homeland security 
     asset;
       Whereas more than 6,000 9-1-1 public safety answering 
     points serve more than 3,000 counties and parishes throughout 
     the United States;
       Whereas dispatchers at public safety answering points 
     answer more than 200,000,000 9-1-1 calls each year in the 
     United States;
       Whereas a growing number of 9-1-1 calls are made using 
     wireless and Internet Protocol-based communications services;
       Whereas a growing segment of the population, including the 
     deaf, hard of hearing, deaf-blind, and individuals with 
     speech disabilities are increasingly communicating with 
     nontraditional text, video, and instant messaging 
     communications services and expect those services to be able 
     to connect directly to 9-1-1;
       Whereas the growth and variety of means of communication, 
     including mobile and Internet Protocol-based systems, impose 
     challenges for accessing 9-1-1 and implementing an enhanced 
     9-1-1 system and require increased education and awareness 
     about the capabilities of different means of communication;
       Whereas the ability to communicate through voice, text, 
     data, and video conferencing provides an opportunity for the 
     Nation's 9-1-1 system to adopt next generation applications 
     and services, greatly enhancing the capabilities of 9-1-1 
     services;
       Whereas numerous other ``N-1-1'' and 800 number services 
     exist for non-emergency situations, including 2-1-1, 3-1-1, 
     5-1-1, 7-1-1, 8-1-1, poison control centers, and mental 
     health hotlines, and the public needs to be educated about 
     when to use such services in addition to, or instead of, 9-1-
     1;
       Whereas international visitors and immigrants make up an 
     increasing percentage of the population of the United States 
     each year, and visitors and immigrants may have limited 
     knowledge of our emergency calling system;
       Whereas people of all ages use 9-1-1 and it is critical to 
     educate people on the proper use of 9-1-1;
       Whereas senior citizens are at high risk for needing to 
     call 9-1-1 and many senior citizens are learning to use new 
     technology;
       Whereas thousands of 9-1-1 calls are made each year by 
     children who are properly trained in the use of 9-1-1, which 
     saves lives and underscores the critical importance of 
     training children about 9-1-1 early in life;
       Whereas the 9-1-1 system is often misused, such as through 
     the placement of prank and non-emergency calls;
       Whereas misuse of the 9-1-1 system results in costly and 
     inefficient use of 9-1-1 and emergency response resources, 
     and such misuse needs to be reduced;
       Whereas parents, teachers, and caregivers must be educated 
     about 9-1-1 in order to play an active role in 9-1-1 
     education for children;
       Whereas there are many avenues for 9-1-1 public education, 
     including safety fairs, school presentations, libraries, 
     churches, businesses, public safety answering point tours or 
     open houses, civic organizations, and senior citizen centers;
       Whereas parents, teachers, and the National Parent Teacher 
     Association contribute significantly to the goal of educating 
     children about the importance of 9-1-1 through targeted 
     outreach efforts to public and private schools;
       Whereas the United States should strive to host at least 1 
     annual educational event regarding the proper use of 9-1-1 in 
     every school in the Nation;
       Whereas the people of the United States deserve the best 
     education regarding the use of 9-1-1; and
       Whereas programs to promote proper use of 9-1-1 during 
     ``National 9-1-1 Education Month'' may include--
       (1) public awareness events, such as conferences and media 
     outreach;
       (2) training activities for businesses, parents, teachers, 
     school administrators, and other caregivers;
       (3) educational events in schools and other appropriate 
     venues; and
       (4) production and distribution of information about the 9-
     1-1 system, designed to educate people of all ages on the 
     importance and proper use of 9-1-1: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates April 2011 as ``National 9-1-1 Education 
     Month''; and
       (2) urges Government officials, parents, teachers, school 
     administrators, caregivers, businesses, nonprofit 
     organizations, and the people of the United States to observe 
     ``National 9-1-1 Education Month'' with appropriate 
     ceremonies, training events, and activities.

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