Our fax machine called 911

[ArcticChicken]

I almost discovered the hard way that my phone can dial 911 when the keypad is locked. Luckily I pulled it out of my pocket before it hit send. This is why is need a flip phone.

[bigjimaz]

When I first moved to Arizona back in the 80's I worked as a cashier/salesperson. The second night I worked behind the couner a team of police officers busted through the door and did the "Are you OK? Your silent alarm went off." thing. I had no idea how, or who set it of but they cleared out in about 5 minutes. About 2 hours later the same thing happened though some of the same officers were not so friendly and told me that I should contact the owner to have it fixed. I explained to them that I didn't even know where the alarm trip mechanism was but that I'd tell the owner.

As it turned out, the trip mechanism for the alarm was where I was putting the tip of my shoe under the bottom of the counter to balance myself as I tipped the chair back to relax between customers. I was the one setting the alarm off.

[freeatlast]

I used to work part-time at a liquor store that was being remodeled. Due to some crossed wires, the silent alarm used to go off on its own. It was rather unnerving the first time I received a call from the local police. They asked if everything was OK and then told me they had received a silent alarm. I then had to answer several security questions and then go outside and speak to the officer that was waiting in our parking lot. I just hoped that my mom had not driven by and seen the police there, as she was not happy about my working there and would probably have bugged me to quit that job (I was 40+ years old at the time ) She was worried the entire time that my younger brother and I worked there that we would be held up.

[Custard Chick]

For the three months I've been at the Bread Company the police have been there twice responding to an alarm that was supposedly set off in the back that no one in the store heard. Per VA law (at least I believe it's VA law), since this was a non-emergency call on an emergency alarm, the store was given a $500 ticket (at least the first one was $500, probably because it was during the Christmas/New Years season) for pulling police away from other potential emergencies.

[mattm04]

The bank branch in my store once had the hold-up alarm call the police on it's own. The customer being served had a long winter coat on. After the intial shock to the customer and employees of a half dozen armed officers showing up they laughed it off.

[Broomjockey]

Had something similar happen one night last summer. Only we didn't get the friendly warning call before they showed up. Cop shows up and asks us if everything's okay. We confuzzledly reply "Yeah..." And he tells us that 911 got a call from a number traced to this building. The problem? The prefix (not the area code, but the XXX part of XXX-YYYY) didn't match the numbers for the building, which are all AAA or BBB, no exceptions. So we had NO clue what was up. He took a quick tour, and then left. We never did figure out what happened.

[Horsetuna]

Not sure exactly how, but it did... and they sent back a 'is everything okay' type fax... and of course, nobody paid attention to it, and it was removed from the fax machine and put on a counter.

So I get a call from the police asking if there was an emergency.

Me:Me
Pop:Police on phone

Me: No, no emergency
Pop:We recieved a fax for you and sent a reply

Me *checks fax machine, nothing. Looks in recycling bin for anything that looks like its from Police* Nothing here, sorry.
Pop: Okay, stay on the line for me. How many people arein the building?
Me:*glance about* About twelve, including staff and customers.
Pop:Okay, police are on their way. Stay on the line please.
Me:Okay...

Now, I am reception. I give people their fixed computers, make change, adn answer phones. I get one of the sales guys to go do the 'get computer from shelf', and I manage to hold the phone to my ear while I took calls on the other ear.

PoP: You're good at multitasking. You should work here!
Me: Aww, thanks, but I tend to freeze up when there's an emergency.

So the police arrive in 15 minutes (They weren't running 'hot' because there's no 'urgent' emergency), and come in.

Me: Okay, they're here!
Pop:Are they in front of you?
Me:*lookig up at smiling officers, trying not to go into Idol Worship Mode* Yes, they're smiling at me!
Pop: okay. can I talk to one fo them please?

By then, the MoD has noticed and comes over to ask me jokingly "Anne! What did you do now?!?" And I explain. We have a good laugh, police depart, everyone happy.

Sales Guy: *to the police as they walk out * You guys dont need a computer mouse or keyboard do you?!? *he was joking, yes*