The telephone company has placed Norwood’s order for a centralized emergency 911 telephone line on hold until June 1975, Town Manager John P. Mogan informed the Board of Selectmen last night.
Implementation Timeline and Costs
Mogan reported that a letter from the telephone company set the operational target for June 1975 to coincide with the issuance of the new Norwood telephone directory, which will heavily publicize the emergency service and distribute instructional stickers to residents.
When launched, the 911 system will initially cross-connect the police and fire departments, with future phases expanding coverage to include civil defense and ambulance services. While traditional department phone numbers will remain active, dialing the universal three-digit code in urgent situations is expected to save precious minutes.
Reviewing the financial impact of the upgrade, selectmen were briefed on the anticipated municipal phone bill adjustments. The town will automatically incur an additional $120 per month in service fees alongside a one-time $360 installation charge. Finding the costs reasonable, selectmen voted to send a formal letter to the telephone company confirming Norwood’s order for the new emergency service.
Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger
Discover more from Norwood Historical Society
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.