Author Topic: 999 or 112  (Read 8809 times)

Offline EyeJay

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999 or 112
« on: May 09, 2007, 02:43:53 PM »
I was recently told by a Firefighter colleague that if an emergency call is made using a mobile phone to 112,
the caller's location is automatically logged using GPS.  This could reduce search times for casualties who don't know their precise location, such as in the countryside/mountains/forests etc. Please can anyone confirm this or give greater detail?

Offline fireftrm

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999 or 112
« Reply #1 on: May 10, 2007, 02:32:24 PM »
No it doesn't. GPS requires the interaction of satellites, which do not connect with mobile phones (unless satellite phones, of course - and there are few of them around!). All mobile calls can be traced to within a radius, however that depends upon the numberof cells that are in contact with the phone. Cellular communications are so called beciase the radio system id split into cless. each with a transmitter/receiver. The morfe of these that a phone is in contact with the more accurate will be the location of the phone. If you are out in a rural area this may be only one cell, so you may be anywhere in that area. So the story you have heard is just that - a story. Also the number you dial is of no consequence, simply the swithcing the phone on is all that is required. HAving dialled an emergency number can alert the services to take the location actions, nothing at all to do with the number you dialled, just the person you ended up speakingt o taking action and as 999 and 112 both connect tot he same system neither is actually any different.
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Offline kurnal

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999 or 112
« Reply #2 on: May 10, 2007, 06:41:29 PM »
Just to add the emergency control rooms then use "connect to" lists ( now computerised but basically if someone dials  999 from a cell in the 01332 code area the operator will connect to Derby fire control etc) to match the area STD code for the cell you are calling from to the appropriate county emergency services.