NCJ Number
15682
Date Published
1974
Length
36 pages
Annotation
AN EVALUATION OF THE ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA NINE-ONE-ONE EMERGENCY TELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM.
Abstract
THIS SYSTEM PROVIDES NO COIN DIALING FROM PUBLIC TELEPHONES AND CITIZEN CALL BOXES. DATA WAS GATHERED CONCERNING THE NUMBER OF SECONDS TO COMPLETE A CALL, CITIZEN AWARENESS OF NINE-ONE-ONE, TIME SPENT IN PROCESSING A CALL AND DISPATCHING A VEHICLE, AND TIME SPENT IN TRAVEL TIME TO THE SCENE OF REQUESTS FOR SERVICE. IN THE CASE OF CITIZEN ACCESS TIME, LOCAL CITIZENS WERE HIRED TO MAKE TEST CALLS AT TWO DIFFERENT TIMES DURING THE PROGRAM. IN EACH CASE 200 CALLS WERE MADE AT VARIOUS TIMES AND STOP-WATCH TIMED. THE RESULTS OF THE DATA ANALYSIS INDICATE THAT THE PROGRAM HAS HELPED TO REDUCE RESPONSE-TIME. A SUMMARY OF DATA AND THE METHODOLOGY FOR EACH STEP IS APPENDED.