911 emergency call access alert in Canada

Canadians are being warned by the country’s emergency services how important it is for consumers to research how to access 911 with VoIP phones.

The alert follows the death of a toddler in Calgary after an emergency 911 call was made over a VoIP phone and the ambulance was dispatched to the caller’s former address, the last address the internet phone service provider had on file.

Following the incident, some VoIP companies will now inform customers of limitations with 911 twice a year by e-mail, instead of just annually. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission ruled in 2005 that phone providers must inform customers of limitations yearly.

Some computer experts are recommending people with small children or elderly parents to use a land line instead of VoIP for their telephone. Vulnerable people may not be able to explain where they are and what their emergency is.

Emergency calls made on land lines are answered by local 911 operators and automatically have addresses and phone numbers attached to them, making it easier to dispatch an ambulance or other emergency vehicle.