Accidental 9-1-1 Calls

Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing sent this bulletin at 08/30/2023 07:14 PM CDT

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Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing

August 30, 2023  |  Advocating for communication access and equal opportunity with the 20% of Minnesotans who are deaf, deafblind and hard of hearing.

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Accidental 9-1-1 Calls

"Lock it before you pocket"

If you are DeafBlind or prefer to watch the video in a high contrast format, watch the DeafBlind friendlier ASL version instead. To adjust the video speed, use YouTube's playback speed tool.

Still frame from the accidental 911 call ASL video

Suppose you accidently hit the Emergency SOS button on your mobile device and realize that you’ve called 9-1-1. Do you know what to do next?

Here are a few tips.

If you are comfortable hearing and speaking on your device, stay on the line and let the dispatcher know it was an accidental call.

If you are not comfortable hearing and speaking on the device, use the same device to hang up and immediately text 9-1-1. Let them know there was an accidental call from this number. The text should reach the same 9-1-1 call center as the previous accidental call did.

Just to let you know, if you hang up without letting the dispatcher know it was an accident, the 9-1-1 call center is required to either call or text you from a 10 digit administrative number to see if you need help. If they cannot reach you, they will send law enforcement to try to find you to see if you need help. This means texting (or communicating with) 9-1-1 immediately is very important. Not being able to confirm an accidental 9-1-1 call and having to use resources that might be prevented from responding to a true emergency is a problem.

lock it before you pocket graphic

Close-up of a mobile phone in a person's pocket. An accidental 911 call is in progress, due to the SOS button being pressed. The DPS and ECN logos are on the right corner, with text, "Lock it before you pocket! Accidental 911 calls can delay help for real emergencies."

There are things you can do to reduce the possibility of accidently calling 9-1-1.

  1. Lock your device before putting it in your pocket or bag.
  2. Keep your device clean. Sometimes accidental 9-1-1 calls can be caused by lint or grease jamming the trigger.
  3. Make sure you know how to activate the “Emergency SOS” feature on your phone. Not only will it help you be ready for an emergency, knowing and understanding this tool can help prevent accidents.

Credits

Content is approved by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Emergency Communication Networks. The Minnesota Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind & Hard of Hearing thanks:

Nic Zapko for ASL talent.

Tamajai Grady for voiceover.

Keystone Interpreting Solutions for film production.