Tips and Information for Cellular Callers

When making a Cellular 911 Call:

9-1-1 call-takers do not automatically know your location or telephone number when you make a 9-1-1 call from your cellular phone. Immediately say you're calling from a cellular phone. Give your name and cellular phone number in case the call is disconnected. Describe the nature of emergency: fire, automobile accident, road hazard, suspicious activity or other emergency. Give the location of the emergency: street name and address, city, major cross streets, freeway/highway name or number, nearest freeway ramp/exit, direction of traffic, landmarks. Provide a description of the vehicle or individual (but don't risk your personal safety to obtain these facts): license number, make, model, color or special markings, and/or description of the driver or suspect.

THE UNINTENTIONAL WIRELESS 9-1-1 CALL:

In 2001, approximately 20% of wireless calls to Vermont 9-1-1 were unintended calls by wireless subscribers. These are instances in which the subscriber did not knowingly dial 911. Nationally, some jurisdictions report a figure approaching 75%. Wireless handsets are often pre-programmed by the manufacturer to dial 911 when a single button (usually 1 or 9) is pressed for a few seconds. Carrying wireless handsets on belts, in pockets, or in purses and briefcases can cause the pre-programmed button to be pressed accidentally, causing a false call to be sent to 911.

These unintended, accidental 911 calls tie up the wireless and public telephone circuits as well as the 911 circuits, lessening the ability of real 911 emergency calls to reach call-takers. When such a call is answered, call-takers have to take precious time to stay on the line in an effort to determine whether there is an emergency in progress or not. Over and above the life safety impact – when false calls delay the timely processing of legitimate 911 calls – it is a drain on public dollars and scarce human resources to have to stay on the line to ensure that people are not in trouble. The Vermont Enhanced 9 1 1 Board has joined the National Emergency Number Association (NENA), the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officers, International (APCO) and the National Association of State Nine-One-One Administrators (NASNA) in an initiative to solve the problem. Wireless carriers are being asked to take the following action:

1. Direct their wireless set manufacturers to change production procedures to remove or neutralize this feature as quickly as possible.
2. For equipment that is currently in distribution channels, sales staff are being asked to check feature activation status and set it to OFF if the set is preprogrammed to be ON.
3. Inform consumers about the impact of false 911 calls if the customer chooses to activate the feature or chooses to program a speed-dial to dial 911.
4. For handsets already in use, carriers are being asked to itemize 911 calls on customer bills. Unintentional wireless 911 calls are expected to increase as wireless phone usage increases. Each unintentional wireless 911 call takes up to 90 seconds for a call-taker to determine whether there is an emergency. Between 30% and 40% of all calls to the Vermont enhanced 911 system are wireless calls.

Information:

When to Call 9-1-1

Tips for Parents

Tips for TTY Callers

Updated:  04/14/2006