A message is claiming that if you cannot speak after a 999 call, you can press 55 and this will enable the emergency services to track your location.
An example is below –
So I learnt something yesterday first aid training and I didn’t know … but if you ever find yourself dialling 999 and you can’t speak press 55 and they can track where you are from dialling location – new technology. Pass it on it may save a life
The message is describing a genuine service, known as ‘Silent Solutions‘ in the UK. While some of the message is a little vague, it is true that if you cannot make any sound during a call, you will be given the option to press 55 which will put you through to the police. It is an important service to be aware of, since there is a common misconception that police will respond to all 999 calls, even if they are completely silent.
In the UK, if you dial 999 and don’t make a sound, the operator will ask a series of questions to try and determine if you accidentally called the emergency services or if you are in an emergency but unable to talk. If you remain completely silent throughout these questions, you will be directed to a message asking you to dial 55 for assistance. If you fail to do that, there is a significant chance that the call will be terminated.
As such, there is truth in the claim that you can press 55 which will alert the emergency services that you need help.
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However it is important that – if possible – you listen to the operator during the call. When a 999 call is initiated, if there is no immediate response to the operator’s first question (which asks what service the caller requires) the operator will ask the caller to make a noise, cough or tap the handset, in an attempt to get information from the caller. The operator will attempt to use this method to obtain important information from the caller, such as what service they require and their location. For some callers, this may be the better option than waiting until the operator transfers the call to the automated “press 55” message.
The claim in the message that pressing 55 will enable the emergency services to track your location is a little vague, and could be misconstrued. The emergency services have a number of methods to track the location of a caller regardless of what buttons they press. The accuracy of that ability to track callers depends on a number of variables, including whether it is a landline, a mobile number or a number with a history. Pressing 55 does not “enable” any kind of “tracking” service.
Finally, despite the claim in the message, this isn’t a particularly new technology. It’s been around since 2001.
We rate the above message mostly true, but with some inaccuracies.