911 cell access news

[montezumawell]

If you've ever wanted the "peace of mind" to be able to call 911 while hiking but didn't want to pay for a cell phone contract or those high dollar "prepays", then this topic is for you. If you already have a cell phone, skip this topic. OK--here's the scoop:

While up in Oregon this summer, we noticed that a non-profit organization was collecting "dead" cell phones for an abused women's shelter. They said that, by law, cell phones have to be able to call "911" even if they are not connected to any "for fee" service plan. We filed this tidbit away and figured we'd check it out someday. Well, someday was 9/21 when we stumbled into an old analog Motorola cell phone for $2.50 at an estate sale not far from Bell Rock. Heck, for $2.50 we just had to test this theory. We took it home and put it on an inverter to charge the battery. Next we called the Camp Verde Marshall's Office to ask if we could "test" it by calling their 911 number. They said they had heard the rumor but didn't know for sure. They said that 911 calls are routed "heavens knows where" and just by dialing it we would have no way of knowing who would answer it. We asked it we would get in trouble by testing it. They answered with a sorta reassuring "probably not."
We waited most of the day to get a good charge in the nickle metal hydride battery. About 2 p.m., with great trepidation, we dialed 911 and the Flagstaff dispatch answered! We explained the situation and she was not only polite but very interested as she, too, had heard a rumor about such a thing but never had experienced it herself. So, in a nutshell, it works.

What does this mean for hikers? Well, we do not want a cell phone contract and all the minutes and bells and whistles (and monthly expense) that come with such technology. HOWEVER, we often hike in places where bad things DO happen to people. Now that we are home in Rimrock, we are hiking in Sedona again. People DO have heart attacks on trails there. They DO fall and break bones. They DO get stranded (and sometimes fall) on the ledges around Bell Rock and other appealing red rock cliffs. Sooo, to make a boring, long story come to a conclusion, we can now hike in such high usage areas with a "lifeline" telecommunications link to 911 WITHOUT having to own an expensive cell phone contract!
So, if this concept appeals to you, start looking through the junk at your local neighborhood yard sales. It will probably only take you a week or so to find an old analog cell phone for a couple of bucks. And it might come in danged handy on some metroplex trail.

J&S

http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/New ... wl7048.txt

A little "Sunday Morning Searching" produced the original FCC news release on the subject. This feature has been "the law of the land" for years and we only now figured it out!

[Unregistered]

Hmmm. I totally forgot about that. And I have an analog StarTac just sitting in a drawer. It will be going in the pack next week.

Thanks

[Snick33]

I was aware of the fact that all phones will transmit a 911 call regardless of the billing status of the Phone. What I wasn't aware of was that when set your phone to "Home Area" only so that you won't be nailed by roaming charges, and then dial 911, the system automatically will roam, if necessary, to get a signal. I found this out yesterday when we came upon a nasty accident on the Beeline at MM 204. My phone display said it was searching for service, but when I punched in 911 it roamed until it located the DPS. The screen then told me that I might have to manually switch the phone back to "Home Area" if it didn't do it by itself.

Incidental, the pickup truck involved in the one vehicle accident had whizzed passed me about 5 minutes earlier doing about 90 miles an hour. Apparently he was the only one injured and it did my heart good to see him wandering around the pavement looking for his teeth and trying to hide the beer cans all at the same time.

[Nighthiker]

Please be aware of which agency you need to respond or report to. I have had to report emergencies and when I called 911, the operator upon taking my information told me to call another agency and hung up. Even when I called back and asked for a specific agency ( they are supposed to transfer), I was told to call them directly and disconnected by the 911 operator.

[Wiz]

Save time - just have them transfer you directly to the doughnut shop.