911 Launches Cell Phone Poster Campaign

EMERGENCY MEASURES ORGANIZATION--911 Launches Cell Phone Poster Campaign

Nova Scotia's Emergency Measures Organization is taking action to prevent the pre-programming of 911 into cell phones. Beginning in March, a poster campaign will begin across the province to educate the public on the importance of not programming 911 into phones.

"People who program 911 into their phones do this thinking they are being better prepared for an emergency," said Ernest Fage, Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act. "What they don't realize is, not only is this illegal, but they are contributing to the misuse of the 911 service."

Too many accidental calls are made to 911 from people who have the number programmed into a cell or home phone and hit the button by accident. This ties up valuable resources. 911 call- takers must call back to confirm if there is an actual emergency. In many cases, the police will have to be sent to the house to verify there is no emergency.

With cellular phones, many people call 911 without even realizing what they have done. A phone could be in a purse or on a hip when it hits another object and the preprogrammed button is activated. In some cases, the cellular phone may have been purchased with 911 already pre-programmed.

Individuals should check to see if 911 is programmed into their phone. If it is, they should remove it. If they are unsure how to do this, they should ask their retailer for assistance.

"With an estimated 40 per cent of cellular calls to 911 being accidental, it is essential that we all work together to prevent the misuse of 911," said Mr. Fage. "We are pleased the cellular dealers in Nova Scotia have recognized the seriousness of this issue and are partnering with us in this campaign."

In addition to government offices, Aliant Mobility, Rogers Wireless and TELUS Mobility have all agreed to display the posters in their stores.