ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments

8. Testing to Ensure Direct, Equal Access

Frequent testing is essential to ensure direct, equal access to emergency communications services. The best way to test is to implement an internal testing program. The goal of these tests is to determine whether TTY equipment functions properly and whether personnel have been adequately trained to handle TTY calls correctly.

Include these steps in your testing:

• Conduct two types of test calls: silent, open line calls in which no tones are emitted, and calls in which the caller introduces the call by transmitting TTY tones. These tests should be unannounced, and should cover each call taker and each position.

• Keep records of the results of all test calls. Include, at a minimum, the date and time of each test call; the identification of the call taker and the calltaking position; whether each call was silent or transmitted tones; whether the caller received a TTY response and the content of the TTY response; the time elapsed and the number of rings from the initiation of the TTY call until the call taker responded by TTY; and whether the call was processed according to the PSAP’s standard operating procedures.