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Accidental 911 calls are on the rise. Technology has opened doors of getting instant help by dialing 911 but then, most of the calls that reach the police are not real emergencies.
Now, when your phone dials 911 by mistake and you hang up the call it can be very stressful for the police and may even get you into trouble with the authorities.
How to avoid pocket dialling Emergency services
This article will provide helpful solutions to fix these pocket-dialing problems.
We will provide tips on what to do to reduce the chances of a phone calling 911 while in your pocket.
It is also a good idea to know what not to do if your phone keeps dialing the 911 number.
Table of Contents
The Consequences of Pocket Dialling The Emergency Services
Every time a dispatcher receives a phone call, they act swiftly to save a life or get the matter at hand resolved.
However, it can be frustrating for the dispatch desk to determine which among the calls is a genuine call of distress and which is a mistake call.
Different parts of the country have different procedures for handling 911 calls.
Some states use computer software on their phone systems to identify a callerโs location and calculate how urgent the call is.
Other states do not use this technology at all and rely solely on dispatchers to classify each call as real or fake.
For a dispatcher to make an intelligent call, they need essential information about the callerโs background that can never be captured in the mix of random sounds and voices on an emergency hotlineโs line.
When they get a call that has been dialed by mistake, it makes it hard for the police to sort out the real calls and the false ones that they receive.
A triggered 911 call wastes precious time and money by sending either a fire truck or police car to an area where nothing is wrong.
While en route, this vehicle may pass a traffic accident that is waiting for help.
When there is an emergency, a dispatcher canโt afford to lose valuable minutes trying to locate the callerโs location.
How to Stop Pocket Dialling 911
Now that you know the reasons why a mistaken call can cause stress and issues to the dispatcher, letโs determine ways to resolve this issue.
1. Lock your phone screen
Most phones today have multiple security features.
You can find them by going to Settings and then the Security tab.
You may have a PIN lock, pattern lock, fingerprint lock, or even a combination of these that are provided for your protection.
After selecting your security option, you will find more options under it.
The one that is depicted as Lock screen security will allow you to set how long the screen remains on or locked after a call has been made or received.
You can choose to have it go off after a few seconds (long press) or immediately right after the incoming call is answered (short press).
2. Turn Off the โTap to Wakeโ Feature
Some phones have a tap-to-wake feature which initiates the screen immediately that the screen is touched.
To turn this off, go to Settings > Display, and then uncheck the box next to โTap to wakeโ.
This feature can be annoying at times and is not necessary if you have other measures of securing your phone.
If the screen is open, there are chances that the time can dial while in the pocket.
3. Unlock with Home Button
Some phones have the option of unlocking the screen with a quick press of the home button.
This is the feature to activate meaning that the phone screen will only be unlocked when you press the Home Button.
With this feature, you can lock all the other features to prevent the screen from waking up when touched.
This will help reduce pocket dialing 911 calls.
If you have a headphone pin, you can use that to lock the phone while in your pocket.
If your phone is already on and unlocked at the time, you can cancel the call by pressing the End button, Back key, or Home Button.
4. Disable Double Tap to wake
The Double tap to wake is when you place your finger on a smartphone screen, and it turns on the display.
Some phones allow you to switch off this feature.
This feature, although a useful function, can still be annoying.
If your phone is locked with a password, pattern, or PIN code and you have enabled the Double-tap feature your phone will wake up every time it is tapped even if there are no notifications that need to be checked.
This can lead to Pocket Dialing 911 calls because of an accidental touch while in the pocket.
To disable this feature, go to Settings > Sound & Notification > Double-tap to wake.
You may also try to turn off the double-tap feature by holding your finger on the screen until you hear a tone.
5. Allow Your Phone to Auto-Lock Quickly
The auto-lock feature is a great security feature.
This feature allows you to set a time interval when the screen goes off when it is not touched.
The screen lock button shows how much time will be left before the phone locks.
Go to Settings > Security > Auto-Lock and set the number of minutes you want your phone to wait without any activity before locking.
FAQs
Why should you avoid pocket dialing 911?
Pocket dialing 911 can be a nuisance to the police, who have to call the number back and find out whatโs going on.
If youโre in a remote area with no reception and someone calls, it may sound like they are in danger of an emergency, so theyโll send help.
This can cause police, fire trucks, and even EMS to show up when thereโs no emergency.
How to prevent pocket dialing 911?
There are several ways of preventing your phone from pocket-dialing 911.
One of them is to lock the screen with a password/pattern to ensure that the device cannot be accessed by an unintentional touch from your pocket.
Another way is to lock the phone by pressing the home button.
If your phone does have a tap-to-wake feature, you may want to turn it off.
If you are carrying your phone around, itโs easy for this feature becomes accidentally active in your pocket, leading to a pocket dialing 911 call.
Can the police dispatch after pocket dialing 911?
Yes, there are several instances when the police can be convinced that thereโs a crime going on.
In this case, the police will instantly dispatch.
Conclusion
Pocket dialing can be annoying to the dispatch team, but it also poses a potential hazard.
If the dispatcher has no idea where you are calling from, they may dispatch emergency responders to the wrong location.
To avoid this, make sure that your phone is locked and secure.
Also, be wary of tapping the screen while in your pocket or near anything magnetic.
