Local 9-1-1 Sponsors Cinema Advertising
Apr 17th, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
APRIL 17, 2009
For more information:
Sonya Lopez-Clauson
Greater Harris County 9-1-1, PIO
713-625-9911 or 713-806-9495 cell
LOCAL 9-1-1 SPONSORS CINEMA ADVERTISING DURING NATIONAL 9-1-1 PUBLIC EDUCATION MONTH*
“Know How to Call with the Phone You Own.”
(HOUSTON, TX) Greater Harris County 9-1-1 Emergency Network (GHC 9-1-1) announced that starting today
movie goers in Harris and Fort Bend counties will begin seeing a new public education reminder advising
citizens to give their location when reporting police, fire or ambulance emergencies. The cinema
advertisements will be in area theaters throughout the month of April.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE 15-SECOND 9-1-1 CINEMA COMMERCIAL.
IT MAY TAKE 60 SECONDS OR MORE TO DOWNLOAD: http://911.org/video/911-edu-ENG-15-Final.mov
“The focus of National 9-1-1 Education Month is to reach children, seniors and the general public with essential information that will help them obtain aid in an emergency. Cinema ads reach these audiences in an efficient, affordable way,” said Lavergne Schwender, executive director of GHC 9-1-1. “We join other 9-1-1 agencies throughout Texas and the U.S., as well as the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), in this effort.”
The GHC “Know the Phone You Own” campaign has three key messages:
1. When calling 9-1-1, first give your location (spell street names and describe landmarks). Over
70% of calls to 9-1-1 are from cell phones that may not tell 9-1-1 call takers the exact location of the caller. VoIP (Internet) phones and office phones have the same limitations and may not tell 9-1-1 call takers which suite within an office building needs emergency assistance.
2. Only call 9-1-1 for true emergencies.
Records show that as many as 30% of 9-1-1 calls are for non-emergencies, which require additional call taker, tie up emergency vehicles and inflate the cost to run the 9-1-1 system. Examples of nonemergency calls are: to request a ride to the doctor, report stolen property or a crime that happened in the past, request help for a broken pipe, or order an ambulance for a non-life-threatening illness.
3. 9-1-1 cannot receive texts.
This is a critical message especially for “tween” callers who send text messages even more than they phone. Texting may be an effective rescue tool in the future, but the technology is not currently available.
“The mass media public education we do each year has proven to be very effective in controlling inappropriate calls and aiding us in delivering emergency service as efficiently and effectively as possible,” said Sonya Lopez-Clauson, GHC 9-1-1 public information officer. “We are excited to add cinema advertising year and we will monitor its success very carefully.”
*National 9-1-1 Education Month was endorsed by Congress in March 2008 in order to educate children, seniors, and the general public about the importance of and the appropriate use of 9-1-1.
**Attached: List of theaters and screens carrying the 9-1-1 message. For more information on GHC 9-1-1 check the website at www.911.org
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