Saratoga, California Since 1955
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New emergency number that's faster than 911 for cell users By Mandy Major Whenever there's an emergency, the first thought that comes to mind is dialing 911. But if you're a cell phone user, think again. After multiple complaints concerning the lag time between calls made to 911 on cell phones and the appearance of help, a solution has been created. That solution locally is 408.299.2311. The number might be longer than the original, but it promises to dispatch help faster when calls are placed from a wireless phone. The reason is this: Within Santa Clara County, calls made by cell phones for 911 are routed outside of the county by a separate clearing station. Once that call is connected to the outside site, it is then dispatched back to local authorities. What this can mean for a caller is an idle time of roughly 30 minutes. This roundabout routing system is attributed to the cell phone company, and as county Sheriff's Captain Dennis Bacon notes, "there is legislation in Sacramento trying to fix the situation, but it will take some time." With the new number, which local sheriffs have been announcing at recent Neighborhood Watch and identity theft meetings, they are hoping to eliminate a portion of that waiting period between call and assistance. They anticipate the new number to be much faster than dialing 911, as it is a direct line to county communications, where calls will be immediately dispatched to the appropriate emergency team. |
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