Please, don't hang up

The number of 911 hang-ups and misdials in North Dakota has quadrupled this year, and it's creating problems for emergency services.

By the end of May, the North Dakota division of State Radio had already received more than 1,600 hang-up calls or misdials. This time a year ago that number stood at just 440, and the impact of those calls is being felt in Eddy County.

Eddy County Sheriff Paul Lies said the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center in Devils Lake has been receiving two or three 911 hang-ups or misdials per day – and that's just the calls from Eddy County.

"It's a complete anomaly," said Lies. "We've never had that many 911 calls ever."

Eddy County Deputy Bennett Suave said they received as many as 10 calls in one day recently, the most they've ever seen.

When emergency dispatchers receive a hang-up call, they first call the number back to ensure there's no emergency, and if no contact is made they use GPS location information generated by the call to dispatch law enforcement.

Obviously, that means expending resources for what is potentially a non-emergency.

"Each time we are dispatched for a hang-up 911 call, our troopers could be out in the field, patroling and providing help to those who truly need it," said Sgt. Wade Kadrmas of the North Dakota Highway Patrol.

"Those calls can really take away from our normal duties," he added. "We understand that mistakes happen. No one gets in trouble for misdialing 911, but it's critically important that the person stays on the line to communicate with our dispatchers. It saves a lot of time."

So, why such a big increase in hang-up calls?

According to a press release from the N.D. Department of Emergency Services, the issues appear to stem from changes to emergency settings on cell phones.

Some phones now have automatic crash detection technology, as well as other features that dial 911 when certain buttons are pressed.

For example, there are phones that will dial 911 when the power and volume buttons are held down simultaneously. Additionally, 911 could be dialed when pressing the power button five times in rapid succession.

Those that have mobile phones are encouraged to check and learn the settings on their own device to hopefully avoid 911 misdials.

Anderson suggests a few additional guidelines to assist emergency dispatchers and first responders:

If you accidentally dial 911, don't hang up. Stay on the line to let a dispatcher know you are OK.

If you misdial 911 and do hang up, immediately answer the returned call from dispatchers to let them know you are OK.

Talk to your kids about using 911 and when it is appropriate to call. Don't let kids play with old cell phones unless they no longer work, or the battery is removed. Deactivated cell phones can still dial out to 911.

Turn off the "Emergency SOS'' setting on your phone if you think you might not need it. If it is activated, avoid placing your phone in cup holders or your pocket where buttons can be bumped accidentally.

There is no penalty for accidentally dialing 911. Admitting the mistake simply allows emergency responders to be where they need to be, when they need to be there.