911 on a cell phone  © Can Stock Photo / daisydaisy911 on a cell phone © Can Stock Photo / daisydaisy
Windsor

OPP Launches 'Know When to Call' Campaign

Ontario Provincial Police are stepping up efforts to curb unintentional emergency calls.

The OPP is launching its #KnowWhenToCall initiative for this fall to further educate the public on how to avoid calling 911 unintentionally due to so-called pocket dialing or "butt dialing".

The OPP had called first called attention to this issue at the start of the summer tourist season, when police were expecting the unintentional emergency calls to spike in areas popular with vacationers. This particular campaign continues to urge people not to call 911 unless it is a life-or-death emergency, as well as not allow kids to play with cell phones even if the battery and memory card have been removed.

"Everyone needs to remember that 911 is to be used only when the safety of people or property is at risk and require immediate assistance such as a fire, a crime in progress, or a medical emergency," says OPP Superintendent Kari Dart, director of provincial communications operations. "Avoiding pocket dials helps ensure our officers are able to respond to real emergencies. We encourage everyone to be part of the solution to prevent accidental 911 calls."

The OPP has answered over 142,000 911 calls in the first six months of 2017, and over 299,000 for all of 2016. Last year, the OPP was able to confirm that 2,000 were pocket calls while another 30,000 remained unknown wireless calls.

Pocket dialing happens when a cell phone is accidentally activated while in a pocket, a purse, a backpack or other form of clothing. Each time 911 is pocket-dialed, a dispatcher has to determine whether there is an emergency and whether police, fire or an ambulance should be sent. The OPP says this takes time away from first-responders handling an emergency where every second may count, and adversely affect someone who really needs help.

The OPP suggests putting a lock on your keypad that can only be activated by entering a password or PIN number. They also recommend turning off the 911 auto-dial feature and not programming a device to speed-dial 911.

If you do accidentally call 911, the OPP says just fess up. Stay on the line and explain to the dispatcher you made a mistake so they don't have to determine whether an emergency is taking place.

Above all, save 911 for life-or-death emergencies only. If human life or property is not immediately threatened, call your local police or fire service's non-emergency number. Calling 911 or going to the emergency room should be reserved for the most serious ailments only.

The current #KnowWhenToCall campaign is running for three weeks, with the start of school the first focus. For more information on the initiative, click here.

https://twitter.com/OPPCommHawkes/status/908363268678410243

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