[Asterisk-Users] E911 Testing !

[brett-asterisk at worldcall.net]

Joe Greco wrote:

>>911 Testing is a very complicated issue. For a clec it typically 
>>involves scheduling with them so they will expect your call. Also we 
>>frequently use false addresses (that are MSAG resolvable) and some very 
>>sophisticated PSAPs even have fake addresses that MSAG resolve to a 
>>"testing" ESN. Translated in english:
>>
>>1. I put in a "special address" mapped to a phone number into the 911 
>>location database. This is in the ALI database. The primary source of 
>>data that the 911 centers map phone number to address.
>>2. MSAG (The master street address guide) maps actual street addresses 
>>to "ESNs" an ESN is an "Emergency Service Number" (or something like 
>>that, feel free to correct me). It is basically a specific collection of 
>>Police, Fire and EMS. For example, Your house might use Police "A", Fire 
>>"B" and EMS "B", but the people on the other side of the street might 
>>use Police "C", Fire "B", EMS "B" (maybe it's jurisdictionally a 
>>"different town"). The PSAPs make up a fake address like 1234 Network 
>>Testing Blvd and they make it resolve to ESN 555 which will route to a 
>>testing center ("joe") who only recieves test calls.
>>
>>Ok.. so too much information.. right?
>>    
>>
>
>Definitely.  Unless you happen to be doing a CLEC's office, none of it has
>any bearing on the original question.  :-)
>
>  
>
>>here's the short answer. Please don't call 911 unless you have an 
>>emergency. 
>>    
>>
>
>False.  Local policies vary widely.  Our 911 service here in Milwaukee is
>the preferred method for reporting debris on the freeway to the Sheriff's
>Department, for example - a dispatcher once scolded me for *not* calling
>911, though admittedly this was only a few years after a truck dropped
>some debris on I-94 that ultimately punctured the gas tank of a minivan
>containing a large family and lots of people died, so people have been
>more sensitive to debris on the highway.
>
>In fact, around here, it's fairly common for installers to test 911 
>service, because there's a danger in 911 *not* working as advertised 
>under ordinary conditions (someone forgot this or that, not too hard 
>on a PRI).
>
>  
>
>>Find out who your local PSAP is and call the administative 
>>number for it and talk to them. Sometimes it is hard to find this 
>>number, but it's out there. Look for Emergency services in "ACME town" 
>>or "ACME Town 911 Dispatch" etc,etc. Some very small towns actually have 
>>their administrative lines forward to the 911 centers for those areas.
>>    
>>
>
>Call the police department's non-emergency number and they can help track
>down who to contact, if all else fails.
>
>  
>
>>Also be aware that if you are a carrier, you are required by law to have 
>>a signed contract with the 911 agency. This is typically so they can 
>>collect on the federally mandated 911 end user line fees.
>>    
>>
>
>Most offices aren't phone carriers.  Even most offices for carriers won't
>have an installer putting in phones that knows anything about some contract
>locked up half a dozen states away in the Legal Department vault at LEC
>Headquarters.  So that's not too useful to the guy who just wants to verify
>correct operation of 911 services for an office install.
>
>The short form:  *ASK* your local 911 center what they prefer you to do.
>In general, they *want* 911 to work right, and there will be some way to
>get you what you need.
>
>... JG
>  
>
Ok, So maybe too much information for you. 911 is a mystery to most 
people and regardless if you are a carrier or not this is how it works. 
In short, you better make sure it works. Not just because you may be 
liable (if something happens, everyone gets sued, right?) but because 
it's the "right thing to do"(tm). You *want* 911 to work. Really.

Now some areas are perfectly happy with you just casually dialing 911 
and making sure it works. Sure they want it to work too. But this is 
**highly** dependent on what area you are in. Everyone has their own 
policy. I personally would never "start out" by trying to call 911 and 
seeing how they react. Calling your police department's non-emergency 
number may be a very good way to start off. Many (most) large cities 
have rules about when testing can be done. Houston for example don't do 
any testing on Mondays or Fridays or on Weekends, and other days testing 
can only be done until 2pm. Also, they don't like to test if it is 
raining or other unusual weather. And for the most part, these rules 
make a lot of sense.

BTW whoever your "provider" is (assuming you are *not* a LEC) can 
probably give you some insight as how to test 911.. Even if you are a 
simple POTS customer.

-Brett