Audible 911 Cell Phone Alarms Could Backfire
Mon Dec 3, 2007 12:03PM EST
See Comments (9)
I've been sitting on this one for a few weeks, waiting for a slow news day like today to roll around. Here goes: Did you know that some new cell phones blare out an audible alarm when you dial 911? The idea may seem useful in that it serves as a "panic" alarm in case of a mugging or assault, but some users are worried that many people call 911 not wanting their location to be known.
An Austin woman relates a story of finding the security chain removed at a vacant property she owns. She called 911 and was shocked when the audible alarm erupted. She immediately stopped the call and hid, fearing that vandals were on the property and would "come out to stop me."
Putting aside whether it's appropriate to call 911 if you find a chain broken at a vacant lot you own, the woman does have a point. If a helpless co-ed hears someone breaking into her sorority house at night and hides in the closet to dial 911, she may not want a loud alarm alerting the pervert intruder as to exactly where she is.
Verizon notes that the 911 alarm is a new feature on all its handsets now, its "interpretation" of the Telecommunications Act, which requires improved access for individuals with disabilities. The idea is to let a disabled caller know that 911 has been dialed successfully, not necessarily to serve as a panic button. Verizon says it's had no complaints.
That said: I generally like the idea of a cell phone panic button, but why can't the audible alarm be a settable option in the phone or at least one that can be muted at the touch of a button?
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2 Posted by matt_archbold2002 on Mon Dec 3, 2007 1:40PM EST Report Abuse
Yeah I agree. When your phone is activated or turned on for the first time, you should be given the option if you want the alarm to go off or if you want it to be silent when 911 is dialed. That could be done either by a prompt on the phone itself, or when activated, by a customer service rep.
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3 Posted by rogueist on Mon Dec 3, 2007 3:09PM EST Report Abuse
Wow, that is definitely a literal killer feature! Around here an audible alarm like that is like putting the gun to your head yourself and saying "go ahead - I wanna die". This is something that needs to be removed immediately! Who thinks of these things? They need to ask real people how features like this will impact them. I can imagine how many people may have died ALREADY because of this "feature". If I wanted a PANIC button I would have gotten a separate item for it.
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4 Posted by surfwiththewaves485 on Mon Dec 3, 2007 3:50PM EST Report Abuse
I would not have or use a phone that had this feature if you could not turn it of, believe after being followed before at night, it is a lot safer to quietly phone, and to continue walking.
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5 Posted by w_hfuller on Tue Dec 4, 2007 5:26AM EST Report Abuse
i work for a metropolitan 911 center. if the woman felt exposed & in danger AFTER she called 911 and her phone beeped why didn't she get in her vehicle and drive a block or two away at a safe location to wait for police? (it's common practice and sense). 95% of the public has no idea what a nightmare cell phones have been for every 911 center on the planet. we answer a lot of pocket dials everyday and have to call you back to make sure you're ok. Oh, and all those responsible people that give their kids the old deactivated cell phones to play with (those phones still call 911) there is also an issue with people using those phones to make false calls. it doesn't bother me personally, i just don't see the humor in it. whassa matter, don't have a ps3? ............. and my personal favorite: everyone with a cell phone passes an accident, a fire, a ladder on the interstate, really believes they're the first one calling it in. you get maybe 5-6 duplicate calls that call for personell to run emergency to until proven otherwise. what looks like a serious injury accident to 50 pass by callers might property damage only by each party involved also refusing medical attention. cell phones also provide very little location information about where the caller is. the majority of new cell phones are called phase two. the older phones and still a few new ones are phase one. meaning location information on a 911 call from a phase one cell phone gave/gives only the address of the cell tower the signal bounced from. location information on a 911 calll from a phase two gives a latitude and longitude of the area when the call was made. the BEST phase 2 phones can do right now is pinpoint you to an area of about 100-110 meters in diameter. meaning worst case in a wheat field, great. worst case in a 60 story building, then what? also keep in mind what might be going thru your head when you're the one making that call. If you need help knowing where to send it is the BEST thing to know. oh, and it's not like tv... 911 can't adjust the sattelites to find a missing/stolen cell phone. all we can do is ask the cellphone company to try and triangulate if it makes an outgoing call. but rest easy, all phones will eventually be phase 2 & public safety is doing a decent job of being able to keep up with them. ps. 911's a joke, and a darn good one if i say so myself!
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1 Posted by msemple1 on Mon Dec 3, 2007 1:25PM EST Report Abuse
It definitely should be my choice whether or not I want an alarm to go off. I would imagine that some folks who are wary of being "involved" in reporting a crime-in-progress would choose not to make the 911 call if the person committing a violent act is going to be able to get to them having been alerted by the alarm. Someone didn't think this one through. MS.