(a)      The General Assembly:

            (1)      recognizes the paramount importance of the safety and well-being of the public;

            (2)      recognizes that timely and appropriate assistance must be provided when the lives or property of the public is in imminent danger;

            (3)      recognizes that emergency assistance usually is summoned by telephone, and that a multiplicity of emergency telephone numbers existed throughout the State and within each county;

            (4)      was concerned that avoidable delays in reaching appropriate emergency assistance were occurring to the jeopardy of life and property; and

            (5)      acknowledges that the three digit number, 9-1-1, is a nationally recognized and applied telephone number that may be used to summon emergency assistance and to eliminate delays caused by lack of familiarity with emergency numbers and by confusion in circumstances of crisis.

      (b)      The purposes of this subtitle are to:

            (1)      establish the three digit number, 9-1-1, as the primary emergency telephone number for the State; and

            (2)      provide for the orderly installation, maintenance, and operation of 9-1-1 systems in the State.