July 4 Caution: Why Can’t California Dispatchers Locate 63% of 911 Calls Made from Cell Phones?

As we approach the Independence Day holiday weekend, I look forward to the friends and family I will see. It’s always fun to see people “dress up” their home or condos with flags, bunting and other items that celebrate the Fourth of July holiday. I love seeing the dog (and kid’s bicycle) parades with bikes and dogs both dressed up in the red, white and blue. It’s a time for barbeques and parties with old friends and friends-to-be. What I don’t like about the holiday .. and it gives me serious pause.. are the fireworks. In my local area (current and for the previous two places we lived), the city doesn’t allow fireworks. The city knows what kind of damage can be done and the potential injuries. While the city has its rules, people can go over about 4-6 miles in any direction and get fireworks from another city.

Don’t get me wrong. I love fireworks- professional fireworks. It’s the consumer version that scares the living daylights out of me. A few blocks away, the city has one of 3 major fireworks displays for the holiday. One can see (and hear) fireworks for blocks! Yet people will be doing consumer fireworks despite the ban, putting kids, parents, pets and property at risk. Why am I worried? The mixture of alcohol, kids and fireworks can be a lethal mix. It’s not uncommon to see police and paramedics criss-crossing the city and not getting a break before heading out to the next call.

There is the crux of the matter. Now that cell phones are so prevalent — and landlines are not, there is a great danger during this holiday if someone needs police or rescue assistance in getting the proper response quickly enough. It’s hard enough with police and rescue stretched thin over this holiday. What if your mobile call is delayed in connecting or doesn’t show your location to the 911 dispatchers? OR what if the call is disconnected due to a drop from the nearest cell tower?

Guest blogger, Eric Stang, CEO of Ooma , is talking about the importance of having a landline telephone option in your workplace and your home. His insights are relevant and meaningful.

Why Can’t California Dispatchers Locate 63% of 911 Calls Made from Cell Phones?
By Eric Stang, Ooma CEO

Independence Day is a time for fun, relaxation, and celebration. But it’s also one of the busiest and most stressful days of the year for 911 dispatchers around the country, with fireworks-related injuries accounting for the majority of emergency calls.

With cell phones accounting for nearly 70% of all 911 calls in the U.S., there is a strong case for Californians to keep a landline phone in their homes, not only on Independence Day, but year round.

Here is a shocking fact: In California, 63% of cell phones aren’t able to accurately share their location with 911 dispatchers.

Ooma recently gathered data on cell phone-to-911 calls from an investigation by USA Today, which you can read here: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2015/02/22/cellphone-911-lack-location-data/23570499/. The findings were remarkable. According to statistics, the chance of emergency dispatchers being able to determine your location based on your cell phone’s GPS data ranges from as low as 10% to as high as 95% throughout the country.

Below are some disquieting state-by-state statistics:

— In Virginia, 71% of 911 cell phone calls fail to transmit the caller’s location. In Washington D.C., that figure skyrockets to 90%.

— In Texas, 67% of cell phone-to-911 calls don’t share the caller’s location.

— In Colorado, dispatchers are unable to track 42% of 911 cell phone calls.

Invented in 1968, 911 was designed for landline phones, which transmit the caller’s location over a hard-wired connection. With a significant share of cell phone-to-911 calls being placed from within residences—but 45% of Americans opting out of landline coverage at home—countless people are left vulnerable in emergencies. Are you one of those people?

Ooma, a leading Internet home phone service that provides reliable E911 service, aims to make Californians safer in a time of crisis in three ways:

1. 911 Will Always Find You

If you use your cell phone to call 911 from home, dispatchers might not find you—indoor cell phone calls can be even harder to detect than outdoor calls. Ooma provides E911 service, allowing dispatchers to automatically find you.

2. Your Loved Ones Will Know When You Are in Trouble

Ooma delivers real-time text and email alerts to family members or friends whenever 911 is dialed from your home phone number. The system is so fast that users have reported beating the police to the scene of the emergency!

3. Extra Safety Costs Less Than a Netflix Subscription

Many Americans are opting out of landlines due to the expense of dual cell and home phone bills. The Ooma home phone service is free. Users just pay applicable telecommunication taxes and fees after buying the Ooma  device.

In situations when every second counts, this reliable and cost-effective Internet-based technology could save tens of thousands of lives. With Independence Day coming up, I can’t stress enough the importance of ensuring your safety and the safety of your loved ones.

Eric Stang
CEO, Ooma

Follow Ooma on these social channels:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ooma
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/29hXhwg
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/oomainc

Website: http://www.ooma.com/

I would like to thank Eric Stang, Ooma’s CEO for this post on why you need a landline,– particularly over July 4 weekend. I have many friends and family in law enforcement and rescue agencies. Independence Day is a time that those agencies are sending units on multiple runs not only on the specific holiday but for days leading up to July 4. Having a landline will save lives, money and time!

Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com

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