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Lost on the Line: A possible fix to the broken 911 system

911 can’t always find your cell phone during an emergency

WXIA Staff

Published: 2:29 PM EST December 14, 2016
Updated: 11:46 AM EST December 26, 2016

It’s 2016, but the 911 system is still stuck in 1996.

We can summon Uber quicker than an ambulance, but a police car or fire truck can’t find us through a cell phone call to 911 because the current system still uses technology developed 20 years ago.Our smart phone knows where we are no matter where we go. Press a button, it takes us home. Press another, a car shows up.Shanell Anderson was lost on the line. Her 911 call was routed to the wrong call center, and her phone never told dispatchers where to find her sinking car.

After seeing 11Alive’s original investigation, one company set out to solve the problem.

“Enough is enough,” said Michael Self of LaaSer. “We’re in a position to be able to do this. Let’s solve this problem.”

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