FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai is contacting major hotel...

FCC Commissioner Ajit Pai is contacting major hotel chains to ensure 911 works wherever it’s dialed. In letters sent Monday to the CEOs of major U.S. hotel chains, Pai spoke of a December incident in which a child tried to dial 911 when her mother was being strangled by her estranged husband. The child “tried to call 911 four times but never reached emergency personnel” because the hotel required her to dial 9 first to get an outside line, wrote Pai. “The hotel’s phone system failed her, her mother, and her entire family.” Pai said the mother ultimately died from the attack. “It appears that dialing 911 alone doesn’t work in many hotels and motels across the country,” he said. “This is unacceptable.” Pai asked the CEOs to respond to his inquiries, including whether simply dialing 911 would connect guests to emergency personnel. “What is your company’s plan for remedying this situation?” Pai asked. “If you do not have a plan, why not?” Pai intends over the coming months to ensure 911 always works when dialed from hotels, he said in a related written statement (http://bit.ly/1az9kkV).