safety during an emergency. When someone
calls 911 from a cellphone, the location
information is often inaccurate or imprecise,
particularly if the call comes from inside a
home or building. As a result, emergency
personnel frequently have trouble finding
callers in a timely manner. According to the
Federal Communications Commission, this
is a problem that contributes to an estimated
10,000 deaths each year. On the other hand,
if a call comes in from a landline phone, the
emergency dispatcher automatically sees the
caller’s address on a map and immediately
knows where to send help. This is a critical
public safety feature, especially when the
caller is unable to speak or provide correct
information.
In the County, at the best of times, cell phone
service can be spotty. In the winter, when
residents may experience more isolation,
having access to one’s family, friends and
community plays an even more important
role. In an emergency, the inability to reach
out for help could have dire consequences.
This is why AARP is fighting to preserve
quality, affordable, reliable, accessible phone
service for the elderly and other citizens,
especially those who rely on basic local phone
service as a lifeline to family, medical, and
other daily necessities. Our research shows
that people age 65 and older are more likely
than any other age group to have landline
telephone service in their home. It is simply
not acceptable for FairPoint to discontinue
this important service to 25,000 Maine
residents.
call-in radio program, Maine Calling,
featured a discussion on personal emergency
management and how to stay safe during a
crisis. Gail Maynard, a resident of Woodland,
called in to ask the panelists, both emergency
preparedness experts, if they felt landline
telephones were important to maintain in a
home. Josh Frances, Director of Emergency
Management at Maine Medical Center,
stated that “landlines play an important role”
and that landline “technology is relied upon
for a lot more than people realize.” (Both
Mr. Frances, and the second panelist,