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10 Nova L.J. 1319 (1985-1986)
911: The Call That No One Answered

handle is hein.journals/novalr10 and id is 1337 raw text is: 911: The Call That No One Answered I. Introduction Across the country, municipalities are updating their public ser- vice agencies with the addition of advanced 911 emergency telephone systems.' The systems are designed to immediately dispatch assistance to community members who have become victims of tragedy. Reduced response time offered by the 911 system is the primary reason for its popularity.2 As a result of municipal involvement in implementation of 911 systems, local governments operating emergency assistance systems may suffer tort liability for negligent failure to properly respond to a call.3 Jurisdictions responding to this dilemma have done so differently. Courts holding municipalities liable in tort for mishandling 911 calls predicate their findings on the special duty doctrine4 and the waiver of sovereign immunity.5 Other jurisdictions relieve municipalities of all li- ability based on the doctrines of public duty6 and common law govern- mental immunity.7 With other jurisdictions responding differently to the issue of whether tort liability should attach, predicting how Florida courts will 1. There are more than 1,100 911 systems on line serving more than 45% of United States residents. Hackworth, 9-1-1: Antidote to Amnesia, 1984 JEMS 24. In 1984, 67.5% of the citizens from thirty-one Florida counties were served by 911 sys- tems. Division of Communications, State of Florida Department of General Services, Florida 911 Program (1984). Presently, approximately one-half of Florida's counties, nearly 80% of Florida's citizens, are served by 911 systems. Telephone interview with Edward J. Telander, P.E., Communications Engineer, Division of Communications (Dec. 4, 1985). 2. Response time has different meanings. It can be 1) the time an incident oc- curs to the time it is reported, 2) the time it is reported until help is dispatched, or 3) the time dispatch occurs until help arrives at the scene. Because the person dialing only has to dial three numbers rather than seven, reporting time is shorter. Also, all calls go to one center equipped with a multitude of emergency resources utilized to reduce dispatch time. Hackworth, supra note 1, at 25. 3. Ashman, Negligent 911 Goof-up Proves Costly in New York, 69 A.B.A. J. 354 (Mar. 1983). 4. See infra text accompanying notes 19-22. 5. See infra text accompanying notes 109-12. 6. See infra text accompanying notes 84-94. 7. See infra text accompanying notes 65-69.

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