Wireless 911

This story was posted on the LIO-Tech listserv (thanks Don!) It's good story that's worth repeating and shows the usefulness of Phase II 911.

A couple was out in their boat on a big marshy lake when the motor went out and nightime approaching, so they called 911:

"They [the couple] tried to explain where they were, but with no landmarks in sight and darkness setting in, it was difficult. They even fired a couple of shots into the air but rescuers on the lake still couldn’t find them."

Even though Bishop [the 911 dispatcher] was able to plot the approximate location where the couple was calling from on their cell phone, the rescuers and those who needed rescuing were still far apart.

Then Bishop came up with an idea.

"I asked the fire department, who was on the lake looking for them, to call 911 on their cell phone," Bishop said. "I answered and I was able to plot them on the map, too. I was able to see them and give them directions to the couple’s boat."

Source: Waukesha County Freeman 11/20/06