Responders Lament `Butt-Dialed` 911 Calls

May 11--OTTUMWA -- Most children learn that "false alarms" keep rescuers from getting to real emergencies in time. Yet too many southeast Iowa residents have been calling 911 by mistake.

"I'd hate to try and give you exact figures [how often it happens], but it is a problem," said Brenda Bennett, the datacom supervisor for the Wapello County Law Center.

A recent consultation by the city of New York gave estimates for their area. Their consultant blamed cell phones -- especially cell phones carried in the back pocket. According to reports by NBC and The Daily News, nearly half of all 911 calls to the police were "butt-dialed" last year.

That happens because many cell phones have an emergency panic button: Just press down (or sit down) on the "9" for a moment, and the phone will automatically dial 911.

"It's a safety feature built into the phone," Bennett said, adding that some phones will call emergency if any number is held down. "We have to try to track down the call, because we don't know if it's an emergency."

In some cases, dispatchers may be able to resolve the mystery with a phone call to that number. But if they can't get through because someone in real trouble may not be able to speak, dispatch has to figure out where the call came from, then send an officer to search the area.

There are already plenty of tasks for communications personnel.

For example, the 911 dispatchers at the Ottumwa Law Center handle calls for the Ottumwa Police Department, the Ottumwa Fire Department, Ottumwa Regional Health Center's ambulance service, the Wapello County Sheriff's Office, Wapello County Volunteer Fire Department plus police, fire and rescue for surrounding towns like Eddyville, Eldon, Agency and Batavia.

"Put a 'lock' on the phone," suggested Bennett. "You enter a pattern or code [before] dialing. I'm not very technological, but it's easy."

That also helps avoid a problem that exists alongside butt dialing. Baby dialing.

"Parents like to give their small children their old (disconnected) cell phone. The kids play with them like a play phone," said Bennett. "But as long as it has a battery and no lock, it can still call 911."

Copyright 2012 - Ottumwa Courier, Iowa