City gets 911 cell phone locator service
2/1/2019, 6 a.m.
A new computer tool is helping 911 operators in Richmond locate people who are using cell phones to call police in emergencies.
Despite being saddled with a difficult name, RapidSOS NG911, the tool enables operators to pinpoint the location of a caller who is unsure or unable to provide a location.
One example shows the tool’s importance. On Jan. 13, an operator was able to provide a location to police for a person involved in a domestic violence incident who telephoned police for help but could not leave a location.
By using RapidSOS, the operator obtained location information directly from the phone and relayed it to first responders, said Stephen Willoughby, director of the Richmond Department of Emergency Communications.
Deputy director Jackie Crotts said RapidSOS automatically collects such location information from callers using cell phones and provides it upon request to operators who are still talking to a caller.
RapidSOS CEO Michael Martin praised Richmond for “leading the way” in adopting the potentially life-saving service, which he said is provided free to emergency communications centers.
