The BC RCMP is reminding people to check their phones, as dispatch centres across the province have experienced a significant increase in dropped 911 calls.
Police say the increase in abandoned or dropped emergency calls is being attributed to the ‘Emergency SOS’ feature on Android smartphones.
“Most often, users don’t even realize the Emergency SOS has been activated and a call is made to 911,” said Superintendent Mike Bhatti, Officer in charge of the Operational Communications Centres.
“These dropped and abandoned calls take time and resources away from actual emergencies. Please only call 911 if you need immediate assistance.”
The feature on Android phones automatically calls 9-1-1 after the side button key is pressed five times in a row.
Android phone users are encouraged to turn off the Emergency SOS feature to prevent accidental 911 calls.
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