ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

1. Number of TTYs

In order to provide equal access to TTY users, every call-taking position within the PSAP must have its own TTY or TTY-compatible equipment.³ PSAPs must have systems that enable call takers to handle TTY calls as properly, promptly, and reliably as voice calls.

Why must every call-taking position have its own TTY or TTY-compatible equipment? To give TTY users equal access to emergency call services. Experience has shown that:

• With TTY or TTY-compatible equipment at each call-taking position, call takers can handle TTY calls as effectively as voice calls.

• Call takers at PSAPs that have only one TTY have significant difficulties handling TTY calls as quickly as voice calls.

• Sharing a TTY among several call takers may result in undue delay in obtaining the TTY and connecting it to the answering position.

• Transferring a TTY call from a non-TTY capable answering position to a TTY-dedicated position may result in the call being disconnected or undue delay in answering the call. In some cases, transfers may result in the loss of enhanced features, such as automatic number identification and automatic location identification information.

• Each call taker needs to query every silent, open line as a potential TTY call. Because most PSAPs receive many silent, open line calls, often more than one at a time, each call taker must have his or her own TTY equipment to be able to query all of those calls with a TTY.