HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. -- You’d expect 911 dispatchers to be able to pinpoint your exact location, but 10Investigates has spent years exposing that’s not the case.
That was apparent as recently as last month, when a pair of hikers got lost in Hillsborough River State Park.
The pair called 911, but deputies on the ground and a chopper in the air couldn’t find them right away.
The pair even gave their latitude and longitude to the dispatcher, according to their cell phone. The problem is, cell phones aren't always the most accurate with those coordinates like a true GPS would be.
“The accuracy just needs to be a lot better for something as important as the 911 industry,” said Brad Herron, general manager of communications at the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
He explained locations from your cell phone to his dispatchers can be off by between 50 feet and 300 yards.
“Yet, I can call an Uber and stand in my driveway and tell you exactly when they're going to be rounding the corner to pick me up,” Herron said.
Apple is teaming up with emergency tech company RapidSOS to bring 911 call centers into the 21st century. Using their technology, your iPhone will be able to send dispatchers your location with pinpoint accuracy, securely and instantly.
Apple announced the partnership this week. It said the technology will be available in its iOS 12 update later this year.
“It’s a game changer,” Herron said.
Hillsborough's dispatch center updated its computers last year to make way for the changes, so accurate location technology will be available to dispatchers, the people who arguably need it the most.
Herron hopes once Apple’s update is released, other phone companies will follow.
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