TODAY 911 IS BEING USED BY MORE THAN 100 COMMUNITIES, IS SCHEDULED FOR IMPLEMENTATION BY MORE THAN 50 CITIES, AND IS UNDER CONSIDERATION BY MANY OTHERS. IT IS ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY 14 MILLION PEOPLE NOW HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF PLACING EMERGENCY CALLS VIA 911. ALTHOUGH PROBLEMS OF JURISDICTION AND INTERAGENCY COOPERATION STILL NEED TO BE RESOLVED, GENERAL GUIDELINES ARE EMERGING. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO ESTABLISH A NEW SUPER COMMUNICATIONS AGENCY TO ACCOMMODATE 911 SERVICE, NOR DOES THE DISPATCHING FUNCTION NEED TO BE PHYSICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ANSWERING POINT. IN ADDITION, A STUDY BY THE FRANKLIN INSTITUTE RESEARCH LABORATORIES CONCLUDED THAT, IF RESPONSE TIME IS MEASURED FROM THE TIME THE NEED FOR HELP IS DETECTED, 911 COULD CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY TO TOTAL TIME SAVED. A SECOND STUDY COMPLETED BY THE NATIONAL SERVICE TO REGIONAL COUNCILS OBSERVED THAT CONSIDERATION OF 911 WOULD NOT ONLY RESULT IN IMPROVED PUBLIC SERVICE, BUT WOULD PROMPT LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVIEW AND EVALUATION OF EXISTING EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS, AND ADVANCE THE PUBLIC VISIBILITY OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS WHO ADVOCATE THE ADOPTION OF 911. THE STUDY CONCLUDED THAT 911 SHOULD INCLUDE AT LEAST POLICE, FIRE, AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES; THAT IT SHOULD BE THE PRIMARY EMERGENCY NUMBER; THAT RECEPTION SHOULD BE CENTRALIZED; AND THAT THE PROCESS OF HANDLING RECEIVED CALLS SHOULD MEET SPECIFIC COMMUNITY REQUIREMENTS. A GENERAL OVERVIEW OR PLAN SHOULD BE DEVELOPED EARLY. FINALLY, THE COUNCILS CONCLUDED THAT A WELL-DESIGNED SYSTEM SHOULD REDUCE RESPONSE TIME.