Mobile 911

Abstract

It's everyone's first reaction when an emergency strikes: Dial 911. But what if no one picks up? That scenario isn't as unlikely as it sounds. During Hurricane Katrina, dozens of 911 call centers in the area were out of service due to flooding, evacuation and loss of power. Most landlines weren't working, and 70 percent of the cell phone towers in New Orleans had failed. "The communications infrastructure completely collapsed," says Curtis Papke, an engineer at Idaho National Laboratory. "Even if you had cell coverage, there was no one at the 911 centers to answer the call." Papke's group has partnered with the Idaho National Guard and the company Qualcomm Inc. to find a possible solution.