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Wednesday's incident of a child making prank calls to 911 from a cell phone highlighted a fact some people are not aware of regarding cell phones.
Even if a cellular telephone has been deactivated and no longer has service, it still can be used to call 911.
As long as a cell phone has a power source, the signal will connect with 911.
Wednesday, a second-grader from Harrison Elementary School made several prank calls to 911 using a deactivated cell phone his mother gave him to play video games. Once the boy discovered he could connect with 911, he made six calls from his bus stop and during his ride to school. The origin of the calls was discovered and tracked using the county's new Enhanced 911 Tracking System.
"We have the capability to track things down and locate people in an emergency," said Warsaw Police Chief Steve Foster.
Foster also said Wednesday's incident can be used as a learning opportunity.
"This is an excellent opportunity for parents to teach children about the proper use of the 911 system," Foster said. He said parents should stress to children the importance of using 911 only in emergencies.
