Three simple digits that have had an unmeasurable impact; 9-1-1.
Feb. 16, 1968, marks the beginning of the ongoing impact. That is when the first call using 9-1-1 took place, in Alabama. It would be another twenty-seven years before those selected numbers had a starting influence in Texas County, Missouri. On Jan. 10, 1995, the first call to 9-1-1 was received in Texas County, then known as Wri-Tex E 9-1-1, combining both Texas and Wright counties.
Before 1995 calling for emergency help involved seven or 10 numbers depending if you were calling long distance or not. Imagine not being able to call for help if you didn’t have a long-distance service. There were different numbers to remember for each service, back when our memories were conditioned to learn and know them. Not like today, when most have all the numbers stored on the phone that is always on your person.
Once a call was made for an emergency back then there were very different conversations that took place compared to today. Below are a few scenarios from days gone by.
As the phone rings for a:
Possible Heart Attack…
Before 9-1-1, a call would have needed to be placed to the local hospital, the main receptionist would have answered, then would transfer the call to the emergency department or a designated phone for the ambulance. Then either the ambulance crew or the emergency department staff would have asked all the details including directions. They would have given any instructions they could have for the patient to do as time allowed, for the most part they were able to quickly get the details then go to the patient.
House or any Fire…
If you had a fire back then there were a few options and you had to know which one you needed to utilize for the area. There were areas that you just called the fire chief, or the department’s direct phone number. After initial contact was made there were even more options for the fire department to get all firefighters to respond. Some areas had a phone tree in operation, meaning after the first person in the department heard of the fire, they then called a certain number of firefighters and so on until all was made aware. There were a few departments that utilized warning sirens for the area. They were programmed to sound different if there was a fire rather than a tornado; the key was to know the difference. All firefighters had and still have, their lifeline, the radio.
Home Break-in or any police matter…
A call to the sheriff’s office or police department needed to be made, the majority of the calls going to the sheriff’s office. The dispatcher there would take the call and relay it to the officer or deputy that needed to respond. Most times, that initial call and contact would be all there was until law enforcement arrived on scene. The sheriff’s office was also viewed as a catchall back then, meaning no matter what emergency one had they would call the sheriff’s office phone number to request EMS, fire department or law. The dispatcher there would get the best information they could then make a phone call to the correct agency and again relay the given information. If you remember calling for assistance of any kind and reaching the sheriff’s office, I am sure you have a memorable experience, especially with a one-of-a-kind dispatcher that worked there, who is forever in our hearts.
Calling for emergencies now…
For all calls, the caller will be asked for the address or location, their phone number and the chief complaint or reason for the call. From there further questions will be asked. The correct responders will be dispatched quickly while the telecommunicator remains on the phone with the caller. Lifesaving pre-arrival instructions will be advised, and responders will be updated to any changes that may arise during the call.
Back then addresses were not the same and directions were a must. An address may be given by the caller as a Rural Route along with a box number. Many will joke about hearing directions such as ‘go past the oak tree on the corner that was hit by lightning two years ago. Once you see the red barn it is the second curve past that, then there are four rocks on each side of the driveway.’ However, these were direct and precise directions with landmarks then. Now an actual address can be mapped to almost precision. Not to say that landmarks are not welcome because they are. Any information that will help get help faster is always an asset.
When 9-1-1 came to Texas County a new address system was implemented to help locate each address in a systematic manner. Many were not happy with this but over the years it has proved beneficial. I would like to stress that it is highly important that addresses be well marked. Along with that all road signs should be left alone. For years some have found it fun to steal the road signs that they like. This causes issues for emergency responders and can delay their response to any emergencies. If you or someone you know has done this in the past I plead with you to correct the situation, immediately. Imagine if your family had a medical emergency, then EMS was delayed because the road signs were missing.
As it still stands today, all first responders across all disciplines continue to work diligently to assist citizens. The main change has been the introduction of three simple numbers and dedicated telecommunicators, who serve as the first, first responders on every call.
The Texas County Emergency Services office in Houston is funded by a 3/8-cent countywide sales tax approved by voters in 2013. Director Terra Culley can be reached by phone at 417-967-5309 or by email at terraculley911@hotmail.com.