Accidental 9-1-1 Calls
Did you know that 32 percent of all 9-1-1 calls are accidental?
These calls clog the 9-1-1 phone lines and call-takers must spend time and resources trying to contact these accidental callers to be sure there isn’t an emergency.
What if you were in an accident?
The state of Washington’s 9-1-1 Public Education Group has developed a Public Service Announcement focusing on preventing accidental calls.
What can you do to be sure you are part of the solution?
- Use your cellphone's key lock to help prevent accidental calls.
- Protect your cellphone by locking and storing it carefully.
- Don’t allow children to play with your phones.
- Programming 9-1-1 into phones causes accidental 9-1-1 calls. Instead, teach children how to dial 9-1-1.
What can you do if you accidentally call 9-1-1?
Stay on the line, tell call-takers that it was an accident, and be prepared to answer questions. Call-takers are concerned for your safety and will call you back and may send police to check on you if you have called from a landline where they can determine your location.
See our blog post on the issue to learn more.
Download an MP3 of the Public Service Announcement here.
Credits
Recording:
Cathy Field-Mason County
Roxanne Castleman-Pierce County
Radio station:
KGHP - 89.9 FM Gig Harbor, Wash.
Editing:
Melody Darby-Garfield County
Vicki Thoroughman-Snohomish County
Review:
Kay McKellar-RiverCom
Deb Homan-Clallam County
Rest of Pub Education Subcommittee for input
Video:
SFC Jason Kriess
