Calling 911: 7 tips for making sure emergency crews can find you

What if you needed help right now, and emergency crews couldn't find you? News Center 7's Jim Otte investigates why 911 dispatchers might not know where you are until it's too late. A closer look at what you need to know when you call 911, and what technology might save your life.

WATCH A SPECIAL NEWS CENTER 7 REPORT, "911: Your Life on the Line," Monday, May 21, beginning at 5 p.m.  

The number of 911 calls placed by people using wireless phones has significantly increased in recent years, according to the Federal Communications Commission.

An estimated 70 percent of 911 calls are place from wireless phones, and that number is only increasing, according to the FCC. Mobile phones aren’t associated with one fixed location or address, which can complicate response times and accuracy.

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“While the location of the cell site closest to the 911 caller may provide a general indication of the caller's location, that information is not always specific enough for rescue personnel to deliver assistance to the caller quickly.” according to the FCC.

Here are seven tips to make sure you place an effective 911 call:

1. LOCATION Be specific about the location of the emergency. Tell the emergency operator the location right away.

2. GIVE YOUR NUMBER Provide your number to the emergency operator. If the call gets disconnected, the emergency operator can give you a call back.

3. CREATE EMERGENCY LIST Create a list of emergency contacts in your cell phone's memory, which includes a list of phone numbers of people to notify in case of an emergency.

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4. EMERGENCY NUMBER To help public safety personnel allocate emergency resources, learn and use the designated number in your state for highway accidents or other non life-threatening incidents (States often reserve specific numbers for these types of incidents. Dayton Police's non-emergency number is 937-333-2677

5. KEYPAD Lock your keypad when you're not using your wireless phone to help prevent accidental calls to 911.

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6. DISCONNECT CALL If your wireless phone is not "initialized" (meaning you do not have a contract for service with a wireless service provider), and your emergency call gets disconnected, you must call the emergency operator back because the operator does not have your telephone number and cannot contact you.

7. UNINTENTIONAL CALLS Refrain from programming your phone to automatically dial 911 when one button, such as the "9" key, is pressed. Unintentional wireless 911 calls, which often occur when auto-dial keys are inadvertently pressed, cause problems for emergency call centers.

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