BC RCMP is asking smart phone users to check their ‘Emergency SOS’ settings after seeing a large increase of abandoned 911 calls.
Mounties said Thursday (May 18) that RCMP 911 dispatch centres throughout the province have seen an increase in abandoned or dropped emergency calls in recent weeks, with RCMP attributing it to the ‘Emergency SOS’ feature on smart phones. The feature allows people to quickly call 911.
When a 911 call is made, a police dispatcher “must determine the caller is safe and there is not a true emergency.” If it’s an accident, callers should stay on the phone and speak to a dispatcher, explain it was an accident and answer any questions the dispatcher may have.
“Most often, users don’t even realize the Emergency SOS has been activated and a call is made to 911,” explained Supt. Mike Bhatti, officer in charge of the Operational Communications Centres.
“These dropped and abandoned calls take time and resources away from actual emergencies. Please only call 911 if you need immediate assistance.”
The Emergency SOS feature on Android phones automatically calls 911 after the side button key is pressed five times successively. On an iPhone, an emergency call can be made by also pressing the side key five times, or by holding down the side and volume buttons.
Smart phone users are encouraged to turn off the Emergency SOS feature on their phones to prevent accidental calls to 911.
On an Andriod, the Emergency SOS feature can be turned off by following these steps:
• Go to settings of your phone
• Click on the Safety and Emergency section
• Slide the toggle to turn the Emergency SOS feature off
On an iPhone:
• Go to settings of your phone
• Click on the Emergency SOS section
• Slide the toggle to turn off “Call with Hold” and “Call with 5 Presses”
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