With Apple rolling out a new system update, Lyon County Emergency Communications is alerting users about a feature that it say will impact 911 services.
On the plus side, Emergency SOS Live Video lets iPhone users share live-stream videos and recorded items during emergency calls. Emergency dispatchers can send secure requests to share this information, which gives first responders more information and thus lets them respond more effectively to emergency situations.
However, the feature also opens up the chances for unplanned calls to 911 — so Emergency Communications wants iPhone users to check their settings under “Safety and Emergency” and then turn the feature off. Director Roxanne Van Gundy says accidental calls to 911 could happen if the phone is bumped, dropped or placed in a cup holder if the feature isn’t disabled.
Emergency Communications also has been using a separate video platform, Prepared, for two years for this exact purpose. Van Gundy says dispatchers can communicate with callers through voice or text whenever a livestream begins.
