In 1988, Maine voters approved the statewide deployment of Enhanced 9-1-1 service. This improved emergency communication system automatically displays the address of a caller at an emergency call answering center. If a caller is hysterical, becomes unconscious, or hangs up, the answering center will know where to send help. This is also true if the caller does not speak English or is unfamiliar with his or her location, such as an out-of-state visitor, or even a resident, might be. In 1994, the Emergency Services Communication Bureau (E 9-1-1 Bureau) was created to oversee the development and implementation of statewide Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) service.
To provide the location of a caller, a telephone number must be linked to a physical address that clearly identifies the location of that telephone. While the creation of physical addresses is the responsibility of municipalities, plantations, or counties (for unorganized territories), the E 9-1-1 Bureau is providing assistance to support local addressing efforts. This assistance consists of a guidebook, training workshops, maps, road and structure measurement, and technical assistance, all free of charge to communities. |
