911 call location!!!!!

[Fuddy1952]

Something to check out. Yesterday while visiting my Mom, she's 91, I connected a medical alert system for her. It works great, one you buy so no monthly fee. She can press button she carries and it dials up to four numbers and 911 (If necessary...no answer from any of the four or if answering party doesn't press 5. Also anyone can press 911 while activated). So I programmed numbers, first is a caregiver right next door. I called dispatch center beforehand, they said ok to test.
Mom has lived there since 1939...had same phone number for 50 years or so.
Problem is since she's on straight talk wireless calling 911 that address doesn't show up. I got it straightened out, but point is it's a good idea to verify calling 911 will show the address!
As I told dispatch, someone could be having a stroke, unable to talk, assistance wouldn't know where call was from.

 

[vvanders]

Interesting, most of the E911 stuff is done via cell signal triangulation(CDMA needs to know your "distance" to be able to modulate power to the base station and keep the codes relatively even). Did they say what the root-cause was or did they just associate that number with the address?

 

[Streetcar]

In Cincinnati we just had a case of kid trapped at school. Because 911 just had address police did not find kid. Check to make sure device is transmitting location also

 

[RandyT]

Read not to long ago that if you call 911 with a cell phone and don't give a physical address, there is a 20% chance that it will triangular the correct location. there was a news report a few years ago where they called using a cell phone from the 911 center and asked where there location showed up. It showed at a pizza place 4 blocks away.

 

[Phillip w]

Read not to long ago that if you call 911 with a cell phone and don't give a physical address, there is a 20% chance that it will triangular the correct location. there was a news report a few years ago where they called using a cell phone from the 911 center and asked where there location showed up. It showed at a pizza place 4 blocks away.

I don't know, but I have called 911 twice with my cell phone. Once I called and told them I was on the "old whiting cutoff". Unfortunately the 911 dispatcher had no idea what I was referring to even though the road has been called the "old whiting cutoff" every since I can remember. I don't know the official name of that road to this day. The 911 office "pinged" my phone and had my location in a matter of seconds.
Another time we had an accident out of state. We knew where we were, but not exactly. Once again, the dispatch "pinged " my phone and had my location in seconds.
It has been about 10-15 years ago when a couple got stranded in a blizzard up in Nebraska. The couple did not know exactly were the were and were call 911 for help. The couple froze to death because they could not be located. That is when 911 started implementing this "ping' technology.

 

[TractorGuy]

I f I allow my phone to show location it seems I am in S. FL or TX . In other words the tower I am connected to doesn't have anything to do with how my location is perceived on the internet. Not sure what 911 does different that correctly interprets location.

 

[Captain Dirty]

In Massachusetts land line 911 calls go to a local dispatcher and are ID'd with an address. Cellular 911 calls go to a regional (state-wide) office. The first question that office asks is "What town is your emergency in?" I made a cellular 911 call that went on for over 10 minutes. The dispatcher wouldn't believe my description of the location because the call was pinged off a cell tower 20 miles away across the open water of Boston Outer Harbor. I now have a "contact" using the 10-digit, pre-911 number of the local (contiguous 4 town) dispatcher figuring I can make the local call and get a faster response.

 

[4570Man]

I’ve had to call 911 a few times. They’ve always confirmed the address and have always been right.

 

[Streetcar]

I have had several 911 calls skip across river to Kentucky . Dispatcher quickly transfer call to correct state

 

[Gunny]

There was a 911 issue a few years ago when a house caught on fire, I believe the fire was on a River Road in Northern Kentucky. When the 911 operator asked the first question "Where is the emergency located?", the caller simply stated an address on River Road and declared a house fire. Since the cell call was picked up by a 911 operator in Cincinnati, Ohio, she dispatched the fire department to the same address on River Road in Cincinnati.
The people with the burning home stood outside and saw all the fire department equipment show up across the river while their house burned to the ground.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Irregularities in 911 service seems to be common. In my case I'm in mid-Georgia. If I call 911 it connects me to emergency service in Dallas, Texas. 911 service rep has advised to announce my exact location immediately when assistance is needed.

 

[ericm979]

911 location is different from the devices's internet location. Among other reasons, 911 location has to work on phones that do not have internet or GPS. GPS location is another completely different system.

Here is a document that explains a bit about the required 911 location services (scroll down): 911 Wireless Services | Federal Communications Commission

Note that carriers can file with the FCC for exceptions in areas where it's too difficult to do the location: "The FCC permits exclusions only where wireless carriers determine that providing location accuracy is limited, or technologically impossible, because of either heavy forestation or the inability to triangulate a caller's location"

When i have had to call 911 in the mountains I live in, it's been difficult to get a signal and I've had to provide the location of the incident.

 

[CincyFlyer]

In Cincinnati we just had a case of kid trapped at school. Because 911 just had address police did not find kid. Check to make sure device is transmitting location also

Well, the problem with that is that they DID find the van, they just didn't look inside, and the kid died trapped under the seat.

 

[PILOON]

Even with GPS you get errors.
In many cases I've known GPS to take U to a different location as much as many 1000 ft away.
A friend's business is 1000 or so ft from his competitor and potential clients often get led to the wrong location.


Just last winter a car almost ended up in my kitchen because a neighbor's visitor used GPS to guide him. He lives within 1/4 mile from me, long drive and down hill like me.
Problem was I had to get dressed, start my tractor and chain the 'visitor' up my hill as he simply could mo get out without 4 WD.

My experience is GPS is dead accurate to get U back to a saved location but only so so to precisely get you somewhere.

 

[LMychajluk]

@OP - Curious as to which system you used. Does the system connect to your Mom's phone to make the call? Or does it have it's own line on the wireless plan? It's relevant because any location data would come from the device initiating the 911 call. My Mom's phone is at least 10 years old...I'm sure the newer ones have better hardware to support the e911 services.

 

[Fuddy1952]

The local sheriff is a friend of mine and between him and 911 supervisor they got it resolved so now it will show address with number. They were amazed how by pinging off towers address didn't show up.
My point was it may be a good idea to call local dispatch non emergency number to be 100% sure that home phone shows correct address since a lot of emergencies they may get 911 call and person unable to talk or give address.

 

[Rock knocker]

In Cincinnati we just had a case of kid trapped at school. Because 911 just had address police did not find kid. Check to make sure device is transmitting location also

My friends nephew

 

[plowhog]

Relying on cell signal triangulation during an emergency is a very bad idea.

I don't know about your relative's phone model, but I do know that with an Android smart phone you can turn on "Advanced Calling" and then enter your physical address where the phone is located. That way if 911 is dialed the street address is sent at the same time. Maybe something to check out with this particular phone model?

 

[bigtiller]

Pizza Hut knows where my pizza is, why doesn't 911 know where I'm at?

We use Smart911

Click on the link and fill in as much or as little information as you like. After that, 911 will know where home is. That's the catch. You have to be at the address that you provided in the link. Also we have to renew the info every 6 months simply by opening their website.

When we get older we probably will get a system like Fuddy has. A button dangling on a necklace would be handy.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Here's the one I ordered from Wal-Mart...

LogicMark Freedom Alert Emergency Alert System, 1ct*
$190.99 $190.99Order number : *4401884-566575

The reason is no monthly fee. It's great because the small device you carry has a belt clip+wrist strap+lanyard. It has a long enough range so in yard, etc.ok.
It has a built in speaker and mic so when it calls #s you can talk...if no answer it calls 911.
Mom doesn't have a computer or smart phone so 911 app won't work. She and we have Straight Talk phone service...$15/month. Free long distance.
All one has to do is call their local dispatch to be sure their address is listed, which is best.
This system I bought has rechargeable batteries...alerts when button you carry needs charging every few months. Battery back up if power goes out.