Yahoo News Police reveal exactly what you should do if you call 999 by accident
Police have issued advice on what to do if you call 999 by mistake, after a rise in accidental calls to the emergency services.
West Yorkshire Police say their call handlers are receiving between 850 and 1,200 accidental 999 calls each day, with that figure still rising.
The accidental calls could be a result of pocket dialling or children making the call and hanging up, the force said.
It comes after police forces across the UK warned of a new feature on some Android phones which saw an uptick in inadvertent silent 999 calls.
The Emergency SOS feature on the phone calls when the side button is pressed repeatedly – more likely when a phone is moving around in a pocket or bag.
Police stress that explaining what has happened is better than simply hanging up before speaking, as this could lead to further action and wasting police and call operators’ time.
What happens if you call 999 and don’t speak?
Police say that people should stay on the line if they do make an accidental call rather than hang up.
However, there are times when the person making the call is too scared to speak or make a noise and does not speak or answer questions.
In this instance, the operator will ask the caller to press 55 from a mobile phone and the call will be transferred to the police.
If you do not press 55 the call will be ended.
What happens if you call by accident and hang up?
If you or a a child in your care and makes a 999 call, police say you should explain what happened before hanging up the call.
But if you do hang up before speaking the call handler must then take time out to check the caller is not in danger or unable to speak due to a medical emergency.
If you hang up without speaking the operator will process it as a ‘silent call’ and an officer will try to call you back or visit your address to make sure everything is OK.
Replacing the handset on a landline could still mean the call is connected for 45 seconds in case you pick it up again.
