Suppose you were in a situation where you could not make noise or be seen with a cell phone next to your head. (you are witnessing an armed robbery. The gunner has threatened to shoot anyone who speaks.) can you send a text message to emergerncy responses?
2006-12-18 08:43:30 · 7 answers · asked by mattiebouge 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
No, that is not currently possible. But if you were in that situation, you should call 911 anyway. Most agencies have a "you call, we roll" policy. If you call 911, we're coming, even if you hang up. However, if you are on a cell phone, we don't know where you are. So maybe just say your address or location and hang up. I would call your local police/sheriff's department and ask what their policy is on 911 hangup calls. But either way, get the location in before you hang up!
2006-12-18 11:19:12 · answer #1 · answered by lovely 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am pretty certain it would not work, but not for sure... Until you get some insert from your wireless provider saying "NOW YOU CAN TEXT MESSAGE 911!," I wouldn't hold my breath.
With GPS there is a way to trace the call to the nearest cell site, but depending on the area it might not be *too* close. [There was recently a video circulated on YouTube from Fox? that said the FBI could use the microphone in your cell phone to listen to you even when it was not in use... Big Brother is watching. But is he after you?]
When you call 911 from a wireless phone (or from a call box on the side of the freeway which is also wireless) in *California*, the call goes to CHP (California Highway Patrol). Depending on the circumstance, CHP either transfers the call to the appropriate jurisdiction (if you're not on a freeway/highway) or takes it if it's theirs. Anyone who's ever called knows it usually takes 10 minutes of holding for them to answer. In the early days of wireless (pre-digital when it was only analog: car phones, "bag-phones," and those Motorola brick phones with the foot long unscrewable antennae) there were lawsuits when callers couldn't place a call to emergency services due to the limitations of coverage area [this is when wireless providers had maps of *small* coverage areas, and everything outside of that was "roaming"]. These were the days when calling plans were *expensive*... Ironically, I think those people might not have gotten through to an actual dispatcher anyway even if their calls had gone through...
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Call from a landline if you need police to know the location. If you call and don't say anything, it is a Priority 1 lights-and-sirens call. If you hang up, the dispatcher will call you back, and if no answer, Priority 1.
Where wireless is concerned, I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you store the numbers for all of the jurisdictions you travel through or are regularly in so you can call them directly (police and sheriff depts~the phone book can help you with this or you can call and ask for their seven digit line that goes to their comm/dispatch center).
Lastly, regardless of whether you have service (LANDLINE or WIRELESS), you are supposed to be able to dial 611 or 911. 611 and 911 are free calls.
2006-12-18 10:29:51 · answer #2 · answered by kes08 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thats a good question!
I don't know for sure...Maybe try calling the local police station and ask.
2006-12-18 08:45:50 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, but thats a good idea.
2006-12-18 08:46:01 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think so, my friend said he did it once
2006-12-18 09:55:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think so. But I`m not sure.
2006-12-18 08:51:01 · answer #6 · answered by laney 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No.
2006-12-18 08:45:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋