News You Can Use from the Los Angeles Times: In an emergency, DO NOT use your cell phone to dial 911. A landline could be the difference between a timely response vs. a 17-minute busy signal.
The paper writes:
Wireless 911 calls statewide have jumped roughly tenfold since 1990, to more than 8 million last year. Cell calls now make up the majority of all 911 calls, and key emergency agencies are struggling to adapt.
The problems are aggravated by call surges -- such as when multiple motorists call in about the same accident -- staffing shortages at 911 dispatch centers, and technological hurdles. Cell calls are more easily interrupted or lost and take longer to handle, officials say, reducing the number of calls each dispatcher can field.
Many people are unaware of such deficiencies until they desperately need help.
Flavor Flav, of course, was talking about 911 response time in the inner city. But these days, his song has -- in industry lingo -- quite the crossover appeal.
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