[CII] terms and conditions

[Morrow Long]

On Dec 1, 2009, at 3:55 PM, Security Account (WebDawg) wrote:
> I disagree.  Critical is a function of dependence of order as a  
> whole.  If 911 where not to work how many citizens would know the  
> other number that one would need to dial.  In the case of a heart  
> attack one could lose precious minutes resulting in death.

Used to be that we dialed 0 (Zero) to get the police or fire department.

I remember when one talked to the (human) operator and asked them for  
the appropriate emergency service.
You can still do this I believe, though it probably slows down the  
response to your emergency.

On Dec 1, 2009, at 3:18 PM, John Osmon wrote:
> On Tue, Dec 01, 2009 at 11:00:35AM -0600, Paul Schmehl wrote:
> [...]
>> So...no need for 911 then?
>
> In actuality -- no.  No need for 911 as such.

What about E-911 -- this is new and didn't have an older analogous  
service.   Is there a definite need for E-911?

The modern automated emergency notification systems many towns and  
educational institutions now have which can notify you of emergencies  
via your cell phone, e-mail, etc. by a variety of methods (SMS, voice)  
are also new infrastructures which some might now consider critical  
though we got along without them in the past (and we had alternate  
emergency broadcast mechanisms on radio, TV and sirens (etc.).

But are 911, E-911 and emergency notification systems  
'infrastructures' -- they are built on top of other 'infrastructures'  
which had to already exist before they could come into existence.

Are GPS location services now a "critical infrastructure" (there are  
now iPhone apps users who may think so...)?

There may be drivers who have become so totally dependent upon having  
cellphones and GPS navigation that they would be lost (pun  
intentional) without them.

Believe it or not there are already weekend hikers who get lost or run  
into other problems in the wilderness (e.g. the sun goes down quickly  
this time of year -- before many remember to walk out of the woods)  
who expect to call 911 on their cellphones to have someone come and  
rescue them.

In Berlin, CT (in the Kensington area) at the main trail head for the  
Ragged Mountain Foundation Preserve there is now a sign posted by the  
local fire and rescue organization which says in effect "Hikers!  We  
have to come here very frequently due to calls from hikers who have  
run into trouble.  Note:  we will need your location in the event you  
call 911.  Please use a GPS (or phone with GPS) and keep your cell  
phone charged. "

Two weekends ago I was there when several teams of fire rescue  
personnel began racing around the fire trails on ATVs calling out for  
a 79 year old walking a dog who was reported missing.  There was also  
a low flying small aircraft which was sent up to circle as well -- I  
can't imagine the bill.  In the US we have just come to assume that  
there is a number (or OnStar button) we can immediately call any time  
we get into the slightest trouble.

Now there are areas of Ragged and other "mountains"  (in other states  
they'd be called "hills") which don't have good cellphone coverage --  
a condition which generally frightens Connecticut residents since we  
can almost always count on having fantastic coverage (5 signal  
strength bars and 3G), particularly along the densely populated  
interstate highway corridors.

Morrow