Access for 9-1-1 and Telephone Emergency Services

F. Testing

The Department believes that frequent testing is essential to ensure direct, equal access. Testing call takers and their equipment is also the one of the most effective ways to ensure compliance with the ADA's requirement that accessibility features are maintained in operable working condition. The ADA does not specify how testing is to be conducted. We believe, however, that PSAPs should conduct an internal testing program in which they conduct random TTY test calls of each call-taking position. The tests should be designed to ascertain whether TTY equipment functions properly and whether personnel have been adequately trained to recognize TTY calls quickly, to operate TTY equipment, and to conduct TTY conversations. The Department recommends the following for an effective testing program:

To test whether call takers have been trained adequately to recognize TTY calls, a PSAP should 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. Tests should be unannounced.

It is best for PSAPs to keep records of the results of all test calls, including, at a minimum: the date and time of each test call; identification of the call taker and call-taking 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 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. The testing program should cover each call taker and each position.