CINCINNATI — The Ray Baum Act impacts businesses with multi-line telephone systems. The businesses now have to be sure any fixed-phone at their building provide an automated dispatchable location with 911 calls.
“In a nutshell, the Ray Baum Act requires phone systems to transmit along with the voice call to transmit a dispatchable location,” said Andrew Knapp, the Hamilton County communications director.
Knapp has worked as a 911 dispatcher for several years. He said having an exact location to send first responders is a key to getting help to a caller. Knapp explained a dispatchable location is one with an actual address that dispatchers can locate, but this can be an issue when the call comes from a multi-line telephone system.
“On a multi-line telephone system, the 911 centers don’t always get a location exactly where that’s at. And so, for example, if your home office for the company you work for is located in Topeka, Kansas for example, but you’re sitting in an office complex somewhere in Columbus, Ohio, there is a strong chance and a possibility in years pass that when you dial 911 from that location, that location would perhaps be routed directly to Topeka, Kansas.”
That’s where the Ray Baum Act comes in, which went into effect Jan. 6. In order to be considered compliant, businesses have to be sure their multi-line phone systems have an automated dispatchable location which can help first responders by identifying the specific apartment number or suite number where the call is coming from inside a building. Knapp said this is something that is important in making sure people get help when they call in an emergency.
“There’s no more helpless feeling than taking a call from someone and recognize that they’re having a true medical emergency or perhaps they’re trying to report a fire and they don’t know where they’re at.”
