NCJ Number
67606
Date Published
1977
Length
14 pages
Annotation
ONE THOUSAND MINNESOTANS OVER 18 WERE SURVEYED IN 1977 ABOUT WHOM THEY WOULD TELEPHONE IN A CRIME, FIRE, OR MEDICAL EMERGENCY, AND WHETHER THEY KNEW EMERGENCY NUMBERS; MOST WOULD PAY A SMALL FEE FOR 911 SERVICE.
Abstract
THE SURVEY METHOD WAS PERSONAL INTERVIEWS. RESPONSES ARE TABULATED BY THE AGE, SEX, INCOME, AND EDUCATION OF THE RESPONDENTS WHO LIVED IN THE TWIN CITIES AREA OR OUTSTATE MINNESOTA. DATA ARE ALSO GROUPED BY 911-SERVED AND NON-SERVED AREAS, METROPOLITAN OR NON-METROPOLITAN. WHEN ASKED HOW RESPONDENTS WOULD DISCOVER WHOM TO CALLIN AN EMERGENCY, 73 PERCENT SAID THEY WOULD DIAL THE OPERATOR;VERY FEW, HOWEVER, HAD EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS IN ACCESSIBLE PLACES. IN FIRE AND CRIME EMERGENCIES IN 911-SERVICED AREAS, EQUAL NUMBERS OF RESPONDENTS WOULD CALL THE PROPER AGENCY OR DIAL 911. WHILE MOST RESPONDENTS IN NON-911 AREAS WOULD CALL FIRE OR POLICE AGENCIES DIRECLTY, ONLY 12 TO 28 PERCENT CONSIDERED THOSE NUMBERS EASY TO FIND AND 49 TO 69 PERCENT DID NOT KNOW WHAT NUMBER TO CALL. IN CONTRAST, ONLY 26 TO 35 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS IN 911SERVICED AREAS DID NOT KNOW WHAT NUMBER TO CALL IN AN EMERGENCY. IN MEDICAL EMERGENCIES IN 911 AREAS, MORE PERSONS (ABOUT 33 PERCENT OF THE TOTAL) WOULD CALL 911 THAN EITHER HOSPITALS, DOCTORS, POLICE, OR RESCUE SQUADS. HOWEVER, IN NON-911 AREAS, MANY WOULD CALL THE POLICE WITH MOST (24-35 PERCENT) CALLING HOSPITALS OR AMBULANCES. (OVERALL, 65 PERCENT OF RESPONDENTS WOULD BE WILLING TO PAY $5.00 PER YEAR FOR 911 SERVICE.) TABLES AND A COPY OF THE QUESTIONNAIRE ARE INCLUDED.