NEWS Federal Communications Commission 445 12 th Street, S.W. Washington, DC 20554 This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974). News Media Information 202-418-0500 Internet: http://www.fcc.gov TTY: 1-888-835-5322 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEWS MEDIA CONTACT: January 12, 2015 Matthew Berry, 202-418-2005 Email: Matthew.Berry@fcc.gov FCC COMMISSIONER AJIT PAI TO DELIVER ONE-YEAR PROGRESS REPORT ON CONNECTING AMERICANS TO EMERGENCY PERSONNEL WHENEVER THEY DIAL 911 On Friday, January 23, FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai will hold an event in Marshall, Texas, where he will deliver a progress report on his effort to ensure that Americans who dial 911 are able to reach someone who can help. Commissioner Pai began working on this issue one year ago, in the wake of the tragic death of Kari Rene Hunt Dunn in a Marshall, Texas hotel room. Kari was stabbed in that hotel room by her estranged husband. Her nine-year old daughter tried to get emergency assistance by dialing 911—four times. But the call never went through because the hotel’s phone system required her to first dial 9 to get an outside line. Following this incident, Commissioner Pai started an inquiry to figure out what was wrong and how to fix it. His investigation revealed that the phone system in that Texas hotel wasn’t unique. In fact, in most lodging properties across the United States, a guest would not have been able to reach emergency services by dialing 911. Moreover, this problem was not limited to hotels but was also common in other large buildings, such as offices and schools. Commissioner Pai has been working over the course of the past year to fix this problem, in consultation with our nation’s lodging industry, the leading vendors of multi-line telephone service (MLTS) products and services, and members of the public. “I look forward to sharing the progress that we have made over the past year toward ensuring that our 911 system matches those in need with those who can help—in particular, by enabling Americans to reach emergency personnel whenever they dial 911,” Commissioner Pai said. “And it was obvious to me that the most appropriate place to report on this issue was Marshall, Texas.” The event will begin at 10:00 AM at the headquarters of the Marshall Police Department. That building houses the facility where Kari’s daughter’s 911 call would have been received had the hotel’s phone system been configured to allow visitors to dial 911 directly. Additional information about the event, including other speakers, will be provided soon. DATE: January 23, 2015 TIME: 10:00 AM LOCATION: Marshall Police Department 2101 E. End Blvd. North Marshall, TX 75670