Failed VoIP 911 Call Contributes to Toddler's Death

Emergency response leaders are urging people who use Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones to become more aware of emergency calls in the wake of a toddler’s death in Canada.

In an article on the TMC.net website, Michael Dinan says the parents in Calgary, Alberta, called 911 on their VoIP phone line when their 18-month old son was in medical distress. The call was cut off, and emergency officials could not find the home.

“In this case, the service provider used the family’s former address in Mississauga, Ontario – instead of Calgary, their new home – when the baby, Elijah Luck, went into medical distress,” Dinan says. “The service provider has said the call was cut off, so it relied on the address it had. The boy died in a hospital a half-hour later.”

According to Dinan, the tragedy shows how widespread technology is outpacing traditional systems – and how these technologies may have some limitations in emergencies.

“For example, there may be a delay in response if an emergency communications center mistakenly transfers a 911 call to a non-emergency line,” Dinan says. “Also, if a caller cannot speak or a call is disconnected, the operator may not have automatic location information for emergency responders.”

He points out, however, that in the United States, legislation requires wireless companies to provide detailed location information to 911 centers. The rules are not yet in effect in Canada.

To read the full article, click here: http://ipcommunications.tmcnet.com/topics/enterprise-voip/articles/27417-failed-voip-911-call-contributes-toddlers-death.htm