(Clarinda) The Page County Sheriff’s Office is reporting numerous accidental 9-1-1 calls.
The Sheriff’s Office says most everyone has misdialed phone numbers; however, if you accidentally dial 9-1-1 or a child in your home dials 911 when no emergency exists, do not hang up. Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher that 911 was called by mistake. If you do hang up, it is the dispatcher’s job to verify if there is an emergency, and they will call you back. This takes away resources from actual 911 calls. If you don’t answer the call, the dispatcher will send emergency services to your home. The dispatcher won’t know if the call was an accident unless you tell them! There is no penalty for accidentally calling 9-1-1. The Dispatcher will want to verify your name and address and ensure there is no real emergency.
Additionally, you may have an old phone lying around at home; maybe your kids use it as a “play phone.” Those old phones can still call 911. If the phone is charged and turned on, a call can be placed to 911. However, an inactive phone does not provide a location or callback number. If your kids use an actual phone as a play phone, ensure they know not to dial 911 as a joke or during playtime.
Android and iPhones have crash detection, and emergency SOS features that can potentially trigger false 911 calls. When these features are activated, an alarm may sound, and a countdown timer will appear on the phone to allow the user to cancel. If you don’t cancel the countdown, the phone will call 911. Phones settings can be changed or turned off depending on the phone.
