§ 34-20. Purpose.

The emergency 911 number is a lifesaving service, as established by the state emergency communications district law, intended to shorten the time required for requesting and receiving emergency aid. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to prevent the placing of nonemergency calls, the sending of nonemergency messages to a public safety answering point; and the interference of such communications with the response to actual emergency calls, such as life-threatening events. This article governs the placing of calls to the emergency 911 number by telephone and cellular phone, and the sending of messages by any device capable of communicating with a public safety answering point; and provides for penalties for the violation of this article.

(Code 1992, § 11.5-2; Ord. No. 326, § 2, 4-9-2007)

State law reference

Emergency Communications District Law, T.C.A. § 7-86-101 et seq.