911 calls from a cell phone?

JerryBobCo

How do they get routed?

I'm guessing that they get routed to the LE agency that is closest to the number of the phone.  My wife and I have phones we bought when we lived in Colorado.  I'm not sure how the PD where we live now would be notified if we called on our cell phones.

earlyagain

Oh man, good question.

Im assuming computer routing based on nearest cell tower relay???

Accipiter

My cousin was bit by a fire ant in Texas.  She started to go into Anaphylactic shock and called 911 on her cell phone.  It routed her to the 911 in Tennessee where she lived last and got her phone.  Before they could get her transferred to the her local emergency services she passed out, and was only saved because her neighbor found her and called the local 911.  So at least in her case and at that time it was to her local provider.  That was three years ago, I have no idea if things have changed.  It seemed about the stupidest thing I had ever heard when my aunt and uncle where relating the story to me.

jaywapti

A few years ago I called 911 from home (Brevard Co. Fla.) and it was received by the local PD, Our cells have 303 and 970 (Colo.) numbers.

JAY 

JerryBobCo

That's good to know, Jay.  So many people, us included, only have cell phones.  I opted to not have a land line because it just didn't make sense to spend the money on something we wouldn't use.

GunNut

JerryBobCo said:

That's good to know, Jay.  So many people, us included, only have cell phones.  I opted to not have a land line because it just didn't make sense to spend the money on something we wouldn't use.

The wireless company knows which tower your calling from and some (if not all by now) 911 systems even get your GPS location from the phone when you call and route accordingly.  For even more peace of mind call your carrier and tell them you are using your phone as your home phone and they will tell you how to associate your actual address with the number.  There is a database for that.

RugerFan

I was recently in a neighboring county and had to call 911 for a wreck. It went to the county I was actually in. 

jaywapti

As i was led to understand if your phone is GPS enabled your 911 call goes to the closest 911 operator and gives your location, I was also told that even if your phone is dead, a 911 call will still go thru, I have not tried it myself.

JAY

CaliFFL

I've only called 911 once to report a herd of horses on the road @ 4:30 AM. The operator knew who I was, but had to ask where I was. 

GunNut

CaliFFL said:

I've only called 911 once to report a herd of horses on the road @ 4:30 AM. The operator knew who I was, but had to ask where I was. 

They ask so they verify what’s in their screens and also to make sure you’re not BS’ing them with a false call.

GunNut

jaywapti said:

As i was led to understand if your phone is GPS enabled your 911 call goes to the closest 911 operator and gives your location, I was also told that even if your phone is dead, a 911 call will still go thru, I have not tried it myself.

JAY

You can call 911 from a cell phone with no service provider and the local wireless operator HAS to send the call through but the 911 folks will not get your GPS location and they can not call you back if the call disconnects.  You can’t call from a dead phone.

zorba

GunNut said:

The wireless company knows which tower your calling from and some (if not all by now) 911 systems even get your GPS location from the phone when you call and route accordingly.

I thought they did a triangulation calculation from multiple towers?

GunNut

zorba said:

GunNut said:

The wireless company knows which tower your calling from and some (if not all by now) 911 systems even get your GPS location from the phone when you call and route accordingly.

I thought they did a triangulation calculation from multiple towers?

No need to when they get GPS info from your phone.

zorba

For phones with GPS - which I actually think mine does.

rberglof

I used to keep an old cell phone in my car just for 911 calls, no service. Called 911 twice with it. Did this in two different cities and went to local 911 operators.

Jayhawker

My wife and I still have our Kansas numbers and our 911 calls are routed to our county dispatch here in MI

GunNut

zorba said:

For phones with GPS - which I actually think mine does.

I don’t know that anyone makes a phone without GPS anymore.  Also folks think you can actually turn your GPS off so you can’t be tracked.  When she was still in telecom my wife and an FBI agent with a warrant proved to a kidnapper that you can’t.

JerryBobCo

Thanks for all the responses.  Now I'm  just not sure if it makes me feel better or worse.

zorba

GunNut said:

I don’t know that anyone makes a phone without GPS anymore.

The flip I had before the flip I have now certainly didn't. But that was then, this is now. Still, looking at specs on flips, most of them don't mention GPS if they do indeed have it. I still have that previous fone and keep it charged as a backup and/or 911 device.

I sure do miss my Panasonic "Bag Phone"!

GunNut

JerryBobCo said:

Thanks for all the responses.  Now I'm  just not sure if it makes me feel better or worse.

As I get older I feel a lot better about it, and NO I'm not getting into a merit discussion of the capabilities.  I just know that it makes me feel better knowing that if I suddenly wake up in the middle of the night with chest pains all I have to do is say "Hey Siri, call 911" and the phone charging next to me will get me though swiftly while delivering my EXACT location to the operator without me having to say another extra word.

breamfisher

There is a non-smartphone option:

http://www.lifealert.com/

zorba

breamfisher said:

There is a non-smartphone option:

http://www.lifealert.com/

We had life alert for my late father, with less than stellar results. At least twice, nobody answered - don't remember the details. But a flip works just fine - and the "Jitterbug" is a great choice for many.

GunNut

breamfisher said:

There is a non-smartphone option:

http://www.lifealert.com/

Yeah but I have my phone with me at all times and so does my wife.  Anyway it's the right option for me and my needs/lifestyle.

zorba

Hate to agree with gun ska, but he's right. If you're in "that situation", you need to have *something* with you. Even me - think "35 year old car" and "no payphones" and "late night gigs", and I should always have  my cell phone with me - even though I often forget about it. I generally keep it in a holster in my dance bag so it goes with me automagically.

breamfisher

GunNut said:

breamfisher said:

There is a non-smartphone option:

http://www.lifealert.com/

Yeah but I have my phone with me at all times and so does my wife.  Anyway it's the right option for me and my needs/lifestyle.

You prefer tools that multitask.  For those that like unitaskers (I have a GPS!  I have a camera!  I carry a laptop with an air card!) a Life Alert adds that extra item that a multitasking tool like a smart phone doesn't.  

zorba

I could have written that. We have 3 of just about everything, 3 GPSes, 3 cameras, 3 laptops (albeit without 4G cards as we don't have that particular need), and even 3 cell phones come to think of it. Only 1 MP3 player though - and its built into a rather large speaker. 1 video cam. Don't ask me how many sewing machines we have though... (!!)

JerryBobCo

zorba said:

I could have written that. We have 3 of just about everything, 3 GPSes, 3 cameras, 3 laptops (albeit without 4G cards as we don't have that particular need), and even 3 cell phones come to think of it. Only 1 MP3 player though - and its built into a rather large speaker. 1 video cam. Don't ask me how many sewing machines we have though... (!!)

How many sewing machines do you have?

zorba

Looks like 14, including a couple of toys that are actually pretty capable.

GunNut

breamfisher said:

GunNut said:

breamfisher said:

There is a non-smartphone option:

http://www.lifealert.com/

Yeah but I have my phone with me at all times and so does my wife.  Anyway it's the right option for me and my needs/lifestyle.

You prefer tools that multitask.  For those that like unitaskers (I have a GPS!  I have a camera!  I carry a laptop with an air card!) a Life Alert adds that extra item that a multitasking tool like a smart phone doesn't.  

I get it.  But for me with the amount of travel in my life I need to be as compact and mobile as possible.  All in one suits my needs better.  Between my iPad Pro and my iPhone I can handle just about anything I need done and they are redundant, so again, for me, it's an ideal solution.

For example, I have this down to the point that I can make ALL my travel arrangements, go on a trip and manage just about an entire trip without having to interface with a single human except TSA at the airport.  Online tickets and check in on my app, boarding passes on my phone.  Electronic reservations and check-in with phone based keyless entry into my hotel room.  Check out from my app and hotel bill goes right into my expenses app.  Even the rental car I can do all with my phone now.  Grab one from the aisle, drive out the gate and return, leave keys on the seat and go catch my flight.

For expense reports I scan receipts at the table for feeding directly into my expense app too so I never have to find paper receipts or do an actual expense report.  A few keystrokes and my money is coming to me.

When I go to my corp HQs everyone is working on their big laptops.  I have an iPad Pro with a keyboard with an 8 hour battery life.  Which also seamlessly provides all my electronic coms and entertainment while on the road.  I don't watch TV in the room, I have all my streaming apps.  While driving I answer emails and text messages using only voice commands in the car with Apple play.  I use voice commends to get directions from my apps too.  Never have to touch the phone once it pairs with the car whether it's my personal car or a rental.

Wife and I share calendars so she booked two doctor appointments and a dentist for me today without having to ask me if I was available.  I just received the invites and they are automatically added to my calendar.

So again, two devices that handle probably over 95% of all my electronic needs.

I'm NOT trying to tell anyone else how to go through life.  Just giving an example of my personal advantages of being "connected".  I know many folks see a lot of disadvantages based on their specific needs and boundaries.  I just find the scales tipped heavily in one direction for myself.

BAMAAK

The Telcos have been collecting a 911 fee for years (key zorba) to fix 911 calls made from cell phones being sent to the wrong area as well as location pinpointing.  Wonder where all that money has gone?

JKP

BAMAAK said:

The Telcos have been collecting a 911 fee for years (key zorba) to fix 911 calls made from cell phones being sent to the wrong area as well as location pinpointing.  Wonder where all that money has gone?

Just a guess, but probably towards fixing 911 calls sent from cell phones going to the wrong location as well as location pinpointing.