LaSalle police say they have responded to an unusually high number of accidental emergency calls.
Since August 1, police reported 113 unintentional 911 calls, part of a trend that has affected law enforcement agencies across Ontario and the country.
"This issue of accidental 911 hang-ups isn’t unique to LaSalle but has been widely reported across Canada," said Senior Constable Terry Seguin. "We understand that mistakes happen, but we appeal to everyone that by working together, it may help minimize these occurrences and ensure that 911 lines remain available for reporting urgent or life-threatening emergencies that require immediate attention."
Police say the vast majority of the accidental emergency calls have come from mobile phones, with recent updates coming to operating systems with emergency features. The Emergency SOS feature on some of these phones can easily be triggered by pressing or holding one key. This feature can be deactivated in your phone settings, and keeping a protected password will help reduce the risk of accidental or "butt-dialed" calls.
Seguin has recommended if you call 911 accidentally, do not hang up. Stay on the line and tell the dispatcher you made a mistake. This will help the dispatcher clear the call. Otherwise, valuable time may be wasted for the dispatcher to track the source.
Officers are trained to follow up on all 911 calls, including hang-up calls, which may delay help for someone in a situation where every minute counts.
