Dial 999

Tomsk said:
Another story to the origibns of 999.

On the old rotary dial phones, the number 0 was next to the stop and next to that, going clockwise was 9.
In the event of a fire when you couldn't see the numbers on the phone because of smoke, it would be easy to find the 9 and dial 999
Of course they seem to have forgotten that if you couldn't see the numbers on the phone due to smoke, you probably couldn't find the phone. And fs the smoke was so thick you would probably be unconciouse after inhaling a couple of lungfuls.
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I would be out the window
 
<< Is deeply amused by some of the replies in this thread.

simulatorman said:
You would be close in NZ:


Now you know what happens. :D
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^^Incorrect, there's only a single Police call centre in NZ now ;)

Werewolf said:
I think the people in the op's office may be getting a little confused between UK phones and US ones :p
IIRC due to an FCC law in the States all cell phones over there have had GPS fitted as standard for the last 5 years or so to allow for them to be tracked when someone dials 911
I think the US law requires cell phone companies to be able to provide the handsets location to within something like 50m, and the easiest way to do that is via a basic GPS system (probably not as capable as normal GPS, but if you can pick up just 2 or 3 GPS satellites* you can get a reasonable lock, if you're also picking up a ground station such as a cell phone tower).

For landlines it's done via reverse directory look up or something similar, basically the emergency services have a list of the physical addresses of all landline numbers (provided by law by the phone companies), so when they get a call it shows the address provided. IIRC some of the phone companies got into trouble when it turned out they weren't supplying accurate/up to date lists.
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In the US the GPS in mobiles is part of something called E-911, Enhanced 911.

I can guarantee I know more on this topic than anyone posting in here, sorry West, even you ;)
 
azuli said:
I thought it was the same thing.. obviously 999 would suck if that button was broke.

I also love how they chose the longest combination for those old rotary dial phones. --------9 ticktickticktickticktickticktick --------9 ticktickticktickticktickticktick --------9
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9 was next to the stop - easiest to find in the dark.
 
6thElement said:
I can guarantee I know more on this topic than anyone posting in here, sorry West, even you ;)
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I can understand that, I only know as much as a Call Taking Supervisor needs to know in an Ambulance Control room as up untill last week that's what my role was :)
 
West said:
I do also think that the public really do need to be educated about calling 999, theres a lot of ignorance out there (Not relating to any post here)

a lot of people seem to think as soon as the call hits the stack (Sorry a control term - meaning as soon as the call is answered by an agent it's assigned a case number on what is called 'Pre Alert' - The bit before an address is entered into the CAD System) that we have an Ambulance on the way on Blues, a lot of people also seem to think that we have an Ambulance 2 minutes from every single address in our area. (Sorry ranting a bit)
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When I had to ring at Christmas, (my sisters boyfriend had collapsed and briefly stopped breathing) the first responder was there in literally 2 minutes, I was still on the phone to the 999 people and he turned up. Was purely by chance that the bloke on duty lived literally in the next road over, and had had a page (they were still asking me questions about how my sisters boyfriend was etc) The actual ambulance took half an hour to get here because it had to come from Bath due to it being Christmas and extra busy.

Apparently though because the first responder was there (and could have kept things going until the paramedics turned up) they had met their target. I'm very glad he was there because it calmed a slightly hysterical sister down and he knew what he was doing. :)
 
Shimmyhill said:
What do you do now ?
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I'm going back to my former position on Dispatch albeit slightly different as I will be acting up on a regular basis to a 'Controller' - This role involves me looking after an entire division and being accountable for deployment descisions.
 
Meridian said:
No, it was because of where the 9 was on the dial. The last number before the stop was the 0, but 000 wouldn't work, so 9 was chosen as it was next closest. Those of us old enough to remember rotary phones will remember TV adverts showing how even when blinded by smoke and darkness you could feel the stop, then the hole next to it,and then the one next to that which was the nine.
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This. 0 dialed the operator so that was no good, next in line was the 9.
 
6thElement said:
<< Is deeply amused by some of the replies in this thread.

^^Incorrect, there's only a single Police call centre in NZ now ;)

In the US the GPS in mobiles is part of something called E-911, Enhanced 911.

I can guarantee I know more on this topic than anyone posting in here, sorry West, even you ;)
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Are you a spy?
 
6thElement said:
<< Is deeply amused by some of the replies in this thread.



I can guarantee I know more on this topic than anyone posting in here, sorry West, even you ;)
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I should probably let that comment go...However, It is a stunningly egotistical comment. You may well know more than anyone. Does it make you feel clever to parade that in front of everyone? :confused:
 
tsgray70 said:
I should probably let that comment go...However, It is a stunningly egotistical comment. You may well know more than anyone. Does it make you feel clever to parade that in front of everyone? :confused:
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Why not?
We now know who to ask.

So what is the exact difference between 112 & 999 from a mobile phone?
 
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