On This Day

On February 16, 1968, the first 9-1-1 call was made by Senator Rankin Fite in Haleyville, Alabama. The telephone company then was Alabama Telephone Company. This 9-1-1 system is still in operation today.

The code 9-1-1 was chosen because first, it was easily remembered, and could be dialed quickly. Second, because it was a unique number, one that had never been authorized as an office code, area code, or service code.