PREPROPOSAL STATEMENT OF INQUIRY
Subject of Possible Rule Making: Minimum information requirements of automatic location identification for the purposes of enhanced 911 emergency service.
Statutes Authorizing the Agency to Adopt Rules on this Subject: RCW 38.52.505 and 43.43.934.
Reasons Why Rules on this Subject may be Needed and What They Might Accomplish: Time to respond is critical in many emergency situations. The location information delivered to a public safety answering point as part of the enhanced 911 system capabilities is frequently a key element in directing response to the caller's location. The degree of accuracy necessary to adequately direct response is dependent on a number of factors that are impacted by local responder capabilities as well as the design of the facility in which the caller is located. Rules are necessary to both permit the local responding agency to establish what location information is needed and to permit private telephone system owners to demonstrate that they are in compliance with local requirements. Rules will avoid unnecessary expense on the part of private telephone system owners while assuring that response will not be compromised by the delivery of inadequate location information through the enhanced 911 system.
Other Federal and State Agencies that Regulate this Subject and the Process Coordinating the Rule with These Agencies: No other federal or state agencies regulate this subject. The rule making provision for the Military Department requires that the Fire Protection Policy Board of the Fire Protection Bureau of Washington State Patrol recommend the provisions to be adopted by the adjutant general.
Process for Developing New Rule: Agency study; and recommendation from Fire Protection Policy Board.
Interested parties can participate in the decision to adopt the new rule and formulation of the proposed rule before publication.
Technical Contact: Bob Oenning, phone (253) 512-7011, fax (253) 512-7202, e-mail b.oenning@emd.wa.gov.
Legislative Contact: Linda Burton-Ramsey, phone (253) 512-7950, fax (253) 512-8497.
Proposed rule will be reviewed by the State-wide Enhanced 911 Advisory Committee prior to public hearings and will be published on the Military Department Emergency Management web page at 'access.wa.gov'.
April 20, 2000
Timothy J. Lowenberg
Major General
The Adjutant General
Director