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A latest surge in dropped 911 calls on the B.C. RCMP’s dispatch centres has led to a name for folks to show off the Emergency SOS function on Android cellphones.
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Supt. Mike Bhatti, the B.C. RCMP’s officer accountable for Operational Communications Centres, mentioned a big share of the sudden improve in deserted or dropped emergency calls had been because of the Emergency SOS function on Android smartphones that enables customers to rapidly provoke a 911 name.
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The Emergency SOS function on Android telephones robotically calls 911 after the aspect button secret is pressed 5 instances successively.
“After a 911 name is made, a police dispatcher should decide the caller is protected and there may be not a real emergency. If an unintentional name is produced from a smartphone, callers ought to keep on the cellphone and communicate to a dispatcher. They will clarify the decision was an accident and reply any questions the dispatcher could have,” Bhatti mentioned.
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“These dropped and deserted calls take time and sources away from precise emergencies.”
Bhatti inspired Android cellphone customers to show off the Emergency SOS function on their telephones to forestall these unintentional calls.
To do this, go to settings of your cellphone, click on on the Security and Emergency part and slide the toggle to show the Emergency SOS function off.
Final month, the Ontario Provincial Police additionally requested Android cellphone customers to disable the Emergency SOS function for that very same causes.
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