There have been 3,000-4,000 additional calls each year since 1995, amounting to an increase of almost 25 percent over the last four years. The largest numbers of calls are for traffic collisions and heart attacks. To Think About EMS services and the 911 system form a model of integrated technologies and close coordination between a network of government agencies and hospitals. Knowledge Gaps There is no national reporting system for EMS services, unlike Fire and Crime reporting systems. Plans for such a system are being discussed, but there are different proposals for establishing the content, procedures and funding.
Cellular phones present new problems.
Irregular jurisdictional boundaries become a factor in all public safety operations. Moreover, when drivers are using cell phones to call 911 on I-526, there may be few landmarks or intersecting roads to use in explaining where they are. In the sparsely settled rural areas, EMS units often represent the closest access to medical care. The number of violent crimes reported to law enforcement officers in the region provides a gauge of personal risk and underlying aggression. Property crimes are offenses which take things of value from their rightful owners, but do not involve the threat of force.