# How did "911" get chosen as an emergency number? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 18, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564 "2005-08-18T11:49:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 11:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/1 "2005-08-18T11:49:12Z")
Sorry if there’s already a thread on this - it gets rejected in a search. So how did 911 get chosen for emergency use? Other countries use different codes - (UK uses 999 I think); it’s a shame it couldn’t have somehow been unified. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/2 "2005-08-18T12:09:17Z")
I don’t know why 911 was chosen but I remember when it was first introduced, the advertisments said to call nine-eleven. There was some apparent confusion with some folks who claimed that they could not call the number because their phones did not have eleven. Even my grandmother, who used a rotary phone till the day she died in the late 80’s, made that complaint. She said it was a scam to get people to use the recently introduce touch tone phones. The phone companies changed the ads to nine-one-one to avoid the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/3 "2005-08-18T12:14:01Z")
In the UK we use “999”. This was chosen as 1. it’s the shortest distance to dial on a rotary phone 2. you can locate the “9” hole in the dark Can’t help with “911” but maybe you just wanted to be different from the brits 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![BwanaBob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bwanabob/32/2985_2.png) [@BwanaBob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BwanaBob)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/4 "2005-08-18T12:23:50Z")
Wouldn’t the shortest distance to dial on a rotary phone be “111”? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/5 "2005-08-18T12:26:01Z")
The way I understand it, 911 was chosen because it was similar to other service numbers. That is, such numbers followed the X11 model: dial 411 for directory assistance, dial 611 to report a telephone problem, and so on. I cannpt provide a cite for this, but perhaps somebody else can confirm it. And perhaps also explain why 9 was chosen for emergency use; over, say, 7. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/6 "2005-08-18T12:53:44Z")
> [@e-logic](#): > > In the UK we use “999”. > > This was chosen as > > 1. it’s the shortest distance to dial on a rotary phone Are your phones reversed from every other rotary phone I’ve seen? Here in America, in order from closest to farthest to dial, it’s 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/7 "2005-08-18T13:25:29Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > I cannpt provide a cite for this, but perhaps somebody else can confirm it. And perhaps also explain why 9 was chosen for emergency use; over, say, 7. IIRC, in some places, 711 is used for lesser emergencies, like if your cat got stuck in a tree. This way they can send the appropriate help ambling your way (in this case, probably a fireman or an animal control officer) but without the immediate urgency (or, presumably, tying up the emergency dispatchers) of a 911 call. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/8 "2005-08-18T13:29:37Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Are your phones reversed from every other rotary phone I’ve seen? Here in America, in order from closest to farthest to dial, it’s 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-0. Hmm… think you’re right > **[Rotary dial](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rotary_phone)** > > A rotary dial is a component of a telephone or a telephone switchboard that implements a signaling technology in telecommunications known as pulse dialing. It is used when initiating a telephone call to transmit the destination telephone number to a telephone exchange. > On the rotary phone dial, the digits are arranged in a circular layout so that a finger wheel may be rotated against spring tension with one finger. Starting from the position of each digit and rotating to the fixed finger stop po... Scratch my explanation then! ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/9 "2005-08-18T13:50:02Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > The way I understand it, 911 was chosen because it was similar to other service numbers. That is, such numbers followed the X11 model: dial 411 for directory assistance, dial 611 to report a telephone problem, and so on. > > I cannpt provide a cite for this, but perhaps somebody else can confirm it. And perhaps also explain why 9 was chosen for emergency use; over, say, 7. IIRC, x11 exchanges were reserved specifically as service exchanges. Thus no non-service phone numbers began with 911 when introduced. I presume either no, or very few phone companies were already using 911 that it was the best possible choice. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/10 "2005-08-18T14:09:32Z")
> [@Spoons](#): > > The way I understand it, 911 was chosen because it was similar to other service numbers. That is, such numbers followed the X11 model: dial 411 for directory assistance, dial 611 to report a telephone problem, and so on. > > I cannpt provide a cite for this, but perhaps somebody else can confirm it. And perhaps also explain why 9 was chosen for emergency use; over, say, 7. That was what I heard at the time also. AT&T picked it: [SITE](http://www.911dispatch.com/911_file/history/911_burton.html) ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/11 "2005-08-18T14:31:50Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > [SITE](http://www.911dispatch.com/911_file/history/911_burton.html) I was about to say “kudos” for what is really an excellent use of language and technology, but while waiting for the server to respond, I decided to nominate a _new word_ for such usage: [SCITE](http://www.911dispatch.com/911_file/history/911_burton.html) ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/12 "2005-08-18T14:43:39Z")
112 is also used as an emergency number in Europe and other places. At NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, you dial 112 for emergency services, not 911. ---
**Author:** ![slaphead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9bcb4/32.png) [@slaphead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slaphead)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/13 "2005-08-18T14:49:33Z")
> [@e-logic](#): > > In the UK we use “999”. > > This was chosen as > > 1. it’s the shortest distance to dial on a rotary phone > > 2. you can locate the “9” hole in the dark > > Can’t help with “911” but maybe you just wanted to be different from the brits 🙂 Sort of. You are right about 9 being easy to find, so is 1. I recall seeing an old programme on TV where they said 111 was rejected because it was possible to generate that accidentally on the old pulse analog pulse phones by rattling the receiver hook (e.g. while trying to clear a bad line). So 999 = easy to find, easy to rember, hard to accidentally call, but takes 3 seconds longer to dial. Whereas in Europe 112 is the universal code for emergency when dialling from a mobile phone :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/14 "2005-08-18T14:59:57Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > I was about to say “kudos” for what is really an excellent use of language and technology, but while waiting for the server to respond, I decided to nominate a _new word_ for such usage: [SCITE](http://www.911dispatch.com/911_file/history/911_burton.html) I think I am Whooshed: What do you mean? ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/15 "2005-08-18T15:20:23Z")
> [@jrfranchi](#): > > I think I am Whooshed: What do you mean? Not at all. People link to “cites” or citations all the time. It’s pretty clever to link to a “site” because the site provides the site. So I’m thinking that in this day and age we can invent the new word “scite” (pronounced the same, as in “science”) to refer to a site with a cite. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/16 "2005-08-18T15:23:15Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > Not at all. People link to “cites” or citations all the time. It’s pretty clever to link to a “site” because the site provides the site. So I’m thinking that in this day and age we can invent the new word “scite” (pronounced the same, as in “science”) to refer to a site with a cite. Cool, I like it. ---
**Author:** ![Bytegeist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@Bytegeist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bytegeist)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/17 "2005-08-18T15:30:00Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > IIRC, in some places, 711 is used for lesser emergencies, like if your cat got stuck in a tree. I have a lesser emergency than that. What number do I call for _minor nuisances_? Like, oh, dropping a quarter into a rain sewer drain? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/18 "2005-08-18T15:32:18Z")
> [@Bytegeist](#): > > I have a lesser emergency than that. What number do I call for _minor nuisances_? Like, oh, dropping a quarter into a rain sewer drain? You call 1-800-Mur-phys as in Murphy’s Law ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/19 "2005-08-18T16:18:57Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > IIRC, in some places, 711 is used for lesser emergencies, like if your cat got stuck in a tree. This way they can send the appropriate help ambling your way (in this case, probably a fireman or an animal control officer) but without the immediate urgency (or, presumably, tying up the emergency dispatchers) of a 911 call. Here in Baltimore, the non-emergency number for the police etc. is 311. In Australia, where i grew up, the emergency number is 000. ---
**Author:** ![aahala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@aahala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aahala)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2005, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564/20 "2005-08-18T16:32:47Z")
The specific reason for 911 may have been lost in history, but the general explaination is at the time, ATT or whoever was responsible would have had to change their scheme of code assignments or pick from a very few numbers. ATT started the area code thing in the late 40s and for whatever reason wanted the first digit of all area codes to be one of two numbers(2 and 9, IIRK) and the second digit had to be like 1 or zero or something. When they started assigning local codes that looked like area codes they had established another rule or two, which dropped the number of possible numbers to just a handful.(I don’t know if these were the original rules set in the 40s, but that was the scheme of things before 911 was selected.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-911-get-chosen-as-an-emergency-number/317564.md?page=2)