When a crisis suddenly occurs in your home, all you can think about is getting the right help, right away. Every moment matters, and you want to wait as little as possible for emergency response to arrive. However, when you call 9-1-1, the process is not always quick—often, you have to wait in a queue behind other calls, many of which aren’t even for real emergencies. Then, when you finally do get through, call-takers still have to ask you a series of questions so they can determine the right first responders to send. Learn more about how 9-1-1 works, and how a “verified emergency” with Rescu allows you to bypass the 9-1-1 process and get faster emergency response.
Calling 9-1-1: Waiting Behind Butt Dials and Non-Emergencies
According to the Federal Communications Commission, about 70 percent of 9-1-1 calls are now placed on wireless phones, making an outdated system originally designed for landline calls even lengthier. How 9-1-1 works with cell phones is a process of explaining, waiting, and rerouting, and requires the additional steps of providing your callback number and location so that the call-taker can connect you to the appropriate emergency dispatch center.
The increased use of cell phones for 9-1-1 calls has also introduced another issue: a higher volume of non-legitimate calls clogging the system. Statistics show that of the emergency calls placed on wireless phones, roughly 50 percent are unintentional “butt dials.” In fact, the National Emergency Number Association determined that unintentional wireless calls account for 25-70 percent of all 9-1-1 calls in some U.S. communities. Then there’s the hang-up calls, the accidental misdials, and intentional but non-emergency calls to add to the mix—in short, these calls are jamming the phone lines, getting in the way of real emergencies that need immediate emergency response.
Verified Emergencies Means a Faster Response
When your call goes through the 9-1-1 queue and on to first responders, dispatchers still have to evaluate which situations are the most time-sensitive and require the most immediate help. However, with the Rescu app, your alert bypasses the 9-1-1 process altogether, getting you faster access to local first responders. And, because of the accreditation of Alarm Relay’s Central Station, Rescu alerts and dispatch information are seen as “verified,” so responders will act accordingly. What’s more, Rescu allows you to send for help even when you’re not there, avoiding the messy process of rerouting between your location and the location of the emergency.
“Rescu helps verify all alerts and dispatch information for responders so we can act…”
– Police Officer, Texas Metro PD
Why Are Rescu Alerts Considered Verified Emergencies?
When you send an alert through Rescu, Alarm Relay’s TMA Five Diamond Certified and Underwriters Laboratories (UL)-Listed Central Station works directly with local first responders to coordinate an emergency response. A UL Listing is a certification that a product is in accordance with the most up-to-date applicable standards and requirements. This is the highest classification for safety and security standards, and thus verifies Rescu alerts as a priority when it comes to sending emergency response.
Learn more about how Rescu can connect you to faster emergency dispatch here, or get it now on the App Store or Google Play.
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