911 Area Code
Emergency services (police, fire, EMS)
The 911 area code is reserved for emergency services. It is an N11 code dialed as 9-1-1, not as the leading digits of a regular phone number — and it is mandated by law in the US and Canada.
How 911 is used
Callers dial 9-1-1 (three digits, not a full ten-digit number) to reach the nearest Public Safety Answering Point, which dispatches police, fire and emergency medical services. Wireless and Enhanced 9-1-1 (E911) services automatically deliver the caller's location to the PSAP where supported, and Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) is rolling out to add text, photo and video. As an N11 code, the digits 911 are reserved from assignment as the leading digits of any regular telephone number.
- Purpose
- Emergency services (police, fire, EMS)
- Assignee
- FCC and US state governments; CRTC and Canadian provinces; operated by local Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs)
- Dialed as
- 9-1-1
History
Creation: AT&T announced 9-1-1 as the national emergency number on January 12, 1968, choosing 911 because it was easy to remember, fast to dial on a rotary phone and not yet in use as an area code. The first 9-1-1 call was placed on February 16, 1968 in Haleyville, Alabama, where the independent Alabama Telephone Company beat AT&T to deployment. The White House endorsed 9-1-1 as national policy in March 1973, and it is now mandated by law in the United States and Canada.
Mnemonics: Prior to 1995, the middle digit of area codes was restricted to 0 or 1, which do not correspond to letters on a phone's dialing pad. Because 911 contains 0 or 1, it has no mnemonic letter equivalent.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/911_(emergency_telephone_number), www.fcc.gov/consumers/guides/911-wireless-services.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is area code 911 used for?
911 is a special-use area code in the North American Numbering Plan. The 911 area code is reserved for emergency services. It is an N11 code dialed as 9-1-1, not as the leading digits of a regular phone number — and it is mandated by law in the US and Canada.
Is 911 dialed as a full area code?
No. 911 is an N11 code, meaning callers dial only the three digits 9-1-1 – there is no ten-digit equivalent. The digits 911 are reserved and cannot start any regular phone number.
Who assigns 911 numbers?
FCC and US state governments; CRTC and Canadian provinces; operated by local Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs)
When did area code 911 go into service?
Area code 911 was placed into service on February 16, 1968.