Ever inadvertently dial 9-1-1? It happens quite a bit. In fiscal 2016-2017 alone our Communications Section answered over 7,000 accidental calls to 9-1-1!
If you inadvertently dial 9-1-1, don’t hang up the phone. Stay on the line and let the call-taker know your call was an accident. This allows members of our Communication Section to answer the next 9-1-1 call instead of calling your phone back.
You can never hang up fast enough. The 9-1-1 call will come through to our Communication Section and, if there is a hang-up, we always call back. You won’t get in any trouble for inadvertently dialing 9-1-1, we just need to make sure you’re okay.
There are ways to reduce the possibility of accidentally calling 9-1-1:
- Screen lock your cellular phone
- Don’t allow children to play with cellular phones. This includes cellular phones no longer in service. If it has a working battery, even a cellular phone with no service can successfully dial 9-1-1
- Is what you’re seeing an actual emergency? Don’t overthink it, if you see something with a potential threat to human life or destruction to property, call 9-1-1 immediately. Our Communications personnel will assess and prioritize your call
- Parents, teach your children about 9-1-1, what it’s for and when it’s appropriate to call
Remember, 9-1-1 is a dedicated emergency number. If you need to contact the Department to file a delayed incident or non-emergency, you may call our 24-hour non-emergency number at (480) 782-4130.