Lela Garlington, The Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

Some might think this is a duh exhibit teaching children how and when to call 911.

But each year, between 25 and 35 percent of emergency calls in Memphis are not emergencies at all. Adults are often the ones making those non-emergency calls.

In 2008, the National Academies of Emergency Dispatch reported 20 percent of the 15.7 million fire/ambulance calls nationwide were for non-life-threatening situations and didn’t require a paramedic. It did not account for police calls.

We get calls like, ‘I’ve had a headache or stomachache for three days. I don’t have circulation in my leg. I cut my finger yesterday.’ If they use a 911 call on a toenail, it (the emergency line) is unavailable for a heart attack, said Memphis Fire Chief Alvin Benson.

Starting at 9 a.m. Friday, the Fire Museum of Memphis will be showcasing its permanent 911 exhibit. The Shelby County 911 board paid $200,000 for the exhibit, which features the history of 911, interactive displays and 70-inch flat screen monitor showing videos about 911 and fire safety.

Children will get to call 911 on a practice phone to become familiar with the process. They also can pull a fire alarm and watch how it is relayed to the central station.

With about 25,000 children visiting the museum each year, fire museum manager Penny Smith said, I hope it leaves an imprint on their minds so that they can teach their parents how to use 911.

Shelby County 911 director Raymond Chiozza said he hopes the exhibit will help people become aware of the problems associated with cellphone users making emergency calls. Unlike land-line phones, cellphone calls do not pinpoint an exact location. A caller must tell the dispatcher where the emergency is by a specific address, landmark or cross streets.

While it might seem like the three-digit number has been around for a lifetime, it is relatively new. Before it came into use, people dialed separate seven-digit numbers to reach police, fire or ambulance.

AT&T established 911 for emergencies in 1968, but it wasn’t widely used until the 1970s and ’80s. President Bill Clinton officially designated it as a nationwide emergency telephone number in October 1999.

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