Legislation Pending To Implement Enhanced 9-1-1

Two different pieces of legislation are pending in Congress with similar goals, of helping emergency call centers around the country upgrade to Enhanced 9-1-1 through low-interest loans or federal grants.

"We have funding for E9-1-1 on at least two tracks here," said Dale Curtis, spokesman for the National Emergency Number Association, which has been working with the sponsors of the bills as well as other members of the Congressional E9-1-1 Caucus.

Upgrading to E9-1-1 would allow dispatchers to pinpoint the location of cell phone callers to within 100 yards, Curtis said. Currently, only a scattered 18 percent of the nation