A cellphone feature meant to assist people to get help in an emergency may be linked to an increase in dropped and abandoned 911 calls, B.C. RCMP say.
Over the past weeks, RCMP 911 dispatch centres across the province have seen an increase in abandoned and dropped 911 calls.
“These calls are being attributed to the ‘Emergency SOS’ feature on Android smart phones which allows users to quickly initiate a 911 call,” a statement issued by the BC RCMP on Thursday said. “After a 911 call is made, a police dispatcher must determine the caller is safe and there is not a true emergency. If an accidental call is made from a smart phone, callers should stay on the phone and speak to a dispatcher. They can explain the call was an accident and answer any questions the dispatcher may have.”
The Emergency SOS feature on Android phones automatically calls 911 after the side button is pressed five times successively. BC RCMP are encouraging Android phone users to turn off the feature, which can be done by going to the Safety and Emergency section of the settings menu.
In many cases, the phone user doesn’t even realize the Emergency SOS feature has been activated and a call has been made to 911, RCMP Supt. Mike Bhatti said. Bhatti is the officer in charge of operational communications centres in B.C.
“These dropped and abandoned calls take time and resources away from actual emergencies. Please only call 911 if you need immediate assistance,” the BC RCMP statement said. “BC RCMP reminds everyone to please use 911 responsibly.”
