THE EFFORT TO ESTABLISH A UNIVERSAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER BEGAN IN 1967 AND INVOLVED THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION ON CIVIL DISORDERS, AND THE PRESIDENT'S COMMISSION ON LAW ENFORCEMENT AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE. IN 1968, AMERICAN TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH (AT AND T) PUBLICLY OFFERED 911 AS THE UNIVERSAL EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBER THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES. THE SYSTEM WAS TO INCLUDE A CENTRAL EMERGENCY SWITCHBOARD IN EACH COMMUNITY, STAFFED AND CONTROLLED BY THE LOCAL EMERGENCY AGENCIES. PUBLIC PAY PHONES WOULD BE CONVERTED AND PRIORITY GIVEN TO LARGE METROPOLITAN AREAS AT A COST OF MORE THAN $50 MILLION. THE ARTICLE PRESENTS THE REMARKS OF CONGRESSMAN ROUSH AT THE 1972 FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION CONFERENCE DEALING WITH HIS EARLY EFFORTS TO GET 911 ADOPTED; A SPEECH BY THE HEAD OF THE 911 COORDINATING GROUP AT (AT AND T) HEADQUARTERS OUTLINING TWO STUDIES THAT CONCLUDED 911 SAVED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME; A DESCRIPTION BY THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT INSPECTOR OF HOW 911 GREATLY SHORTENED EMERGENCY POLICE RESPONSE TIME; AND A DISCUSSION OF 911 BY THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS. ALSO INCLUDED ARE THE WASHINGTON, D.C., METROPOLITAN INSPECTOR'S DESCRIPTION OF THE SYSTEM MAKEUP, COSTS, AND POSSIBLE IMPLEMENTATION PROBLEMS; A DISCUSSION OF THE PROBLEMS OF TELEPHONE EXCHANGE BOUNDARIES BY A MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL MUNICIPAL SIGNAL ASSOCIATION (IMSA); AND A DESCRIPTION OF THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REGIONAL COUNCILS (NARC). REMARKS BY THE ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS POLICY (OTP), EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, OUTLINE THE CURRENT OTP EFFORT REGARDING 911. INFORMATIONAL ADDRESSES ARE INCLUDED. (AOP)