Who came up with and why are the numbers for the emergency line, "9" "1" "1" ?

Answer 1

In 1968, a solution was agreed upon. AT&T had chosen the number 911, which met the requirements that it be brief, easy to remember, dialed easily, and that it worked well with the phone systems in place at the time. How the number 911 itself was chosen is not well known and is subject to much speculation. However, many feel that the number 911 was chosen to be similar to the numbers 2-1-1 (long distance), 4-1-1 (information, later called "directory assistance"), and 6-1-1 (repair service), which had already been in use by AT&T since 1966. Also, it was necessary to ensure that the 9-1-1 number was not dialed accidentally, so 9-1-1 made sense because the numbers "9" and "1" were on opposite ends of a phone's rotary dial.

Furthermore, the North American Numbering Plan in use at the time established rules for which numbers can be used for area codes and exchanges. At the time, the middle digit of an area code had to be either a 0 or 1, and the first two digits of an exchange could not be a 1. At the telephone switching station, the second dialed digit was used to determine if the number was long distance or local. If the number had a 0 or 1 as the second digit, it was long distance, and it was a local call if it was any other number. Thus, since the number 911 was detected by the switching equipment as a special number, it could be routed appropriately. Also, since 911 was a unique number, never having been used as an area code or service code (although at one point GTE used test numbers such as 11911), it fit into the phone system easily.

Answer 2

Because most Fire and Police phone numbers where 7 digits it was hard for some to remember, because unlike today, people years ago did not abuse EMERGENCY numbers. So 911 was not in use and is easily remembered. Also, there was talk at one time of using the * button for EMERGENCIES, but never happened. Also, Chicago use 311 for those who do not have an EMERGENCY.

Answer 3

In the good old days, information was 411.

911 is the farthest your fingers have to get to dial and the possibility of accidentally dialing a 9 and then two 1's is pretty darn rare.

If you knocked something over onto your phone and it knocked the reciver off the hook and landed on the 9, holding it down, it still wouldn't call the police. Get it? It's hard to do accidently. And it was suggested by emergency organizations several years ago.

Answer 4

It was chosen because the number is "brief, easy to remember, dialed easily, and that it worked well with the phone systems in place at the time" (in 1968). Also, they didn't want the number to be accidently dialed, 9 and 1 are pretty far apart on the number pad, so it's difficult to accidently dial 911. ATT chose the number.

Answer 5

I think it was the phone company so in a emergency you don't have to Dial too many numbers

Answer 6

I think it's really creative. I like the morphing ink to words. Darkness crashes down like eyelids; sucker punched to your knees, hyper- ventilating, the opened letter dropped, sitting, untouched atop the dusty table surface, impacts like a two-car collision. Air bag deploys off the wheel, Inflates and goes for the kill, Grasping for air, it suffocates, no jaws of life Will tear you from the twisted mass of raw nerves fighting for one more glance, hoping to discover the ink has morphed to vital sign: "there's a chance."

Answer 7

Chuck Norris, it was originally 9111 until he punched one of the 1's and it became 911