The Bremer County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in reducing the number of accidental 911 calls. They say they have seen a large increase in accidental calls which slow down the dispatchers who must call the number back or dispatch law enforcement. In 2022 Bremer County dispatchers answered 546 accidental 911 calls, so far in 2023 they have answered 1,402 accidental 911 calls. They say in order to help the dispatchers, stay on the line, it is impossible to hang up before the call rings to dispatch. One issue has been new SOS features on cell phones, for example last week dispatch answered a call in which they could only hear what sounded like farm machinery so they sent law enforcement to the scene. Law enforcement found the person mowing the yard with the phone in a cup holder. The bumps and vibrations registered as a crash and 911 was automatically called. They say when participating in high movement activities, place your phone in airplane mode. The Bremer County Sheriff’s Office has posted more tips on how to avoid accidental 911 calls on their Facebook page.
