Bracebridge OPP say they’ve responded to almost 400 pocket dials and unintentional 911 calls in the first three weeks of July alone.
According to officers, this contributes to the ongoing concern about tying up police resources and taking away from real emergencies
For every unintentional call or pocket dial received, an emergency communicator must determine whether a real emergency exists and if police, fire or paramedics should be dispatched, police say.
With every unintentional call received, precious seconds may be taken away from someone who really needs help, officers say, and police must follow up with each 911 call by making contact with the caller.
If you place an unintentional 911 call, police say you should stay on the line to let the emergency operator know it wasn’t intentional.
Every 911 call is taken seriously, OPP say. When a 911 caller doesn’t respond, that could be a sign of trouble — something that an emergency responder can’t ignore, police add.