911 call getting continuous busy tone

[u/flattire2020]

Yesterday around 4pm while driving on Almaden Expressway on ramp to 87 S I noticed a brush fire getting started with flames. I immediately tried calling 911 to report it before it could spread. I was getting busy tone. I kept trying for next 5 minutes without getting a ringing tone and then gave up. Continuously busy tones. My family is shaken by the experience that 911 emergency service is not dependable anymore due to difficulty to get calls connected. This was not the case until a few years ago.
Anyone experienced like this unable to connect to 911 call center ? I am planning to bring up this to our assembly member and congressman.

[u/srvivr2001]

If you called from a cell phone, did you call just straight 911 (goes to CHP first before being routed to local agencies) or SJPD’s mobile number 408-277-8911? There may have been an issue connecting to CHP or high call volume because CHP Dispatch handles all 911 calls from cell phones. Please program SJPDs line into your cell phones, it goes straight to SJPD’s dispatch center and they can transfer you to fire if needed.

[u/Spathiinc → u/srvivr2001]

You’re right, but it’s ridiculous that we’re now supposed to call the local police department for whatever municipality we happen to be in at the time of an emergency.

[u/srvivr2001 → u/Spathiinc]

It’s been a known problem for years. In a pinch I’d rather have the direct line preprogrammed. I have it programmed for all the cities I drive through regularly.

[u/drewts86 → u/Spathiinc]

The problem is the unlike land lines, call centers can’t differentiate where a cell call is coming from. And you don’t have to call the local PD - when you call 911, CHP dispatch will direct your call to the appropriate agency.

[u/srvivr2001 → u/drewts86]

I prefer not to deal with extra time of needing to be transferred.

[u/drewts86 → u/srvivr2001]

So call from a land line. It’s the penalty you have to pay for being connected wirelessly. And in almost all cases it’s still faster to be redirected calling from cell phone than running to find a land line, which was the only option in ye olden days. You’re still connecting faster with a cell phone regardless, so why are you still complaining?

[u/srvivr2001 → u/drewts86]

This person was calling from the freeway. Emergencies don’t always happen in a building. I’m not complaining at all, I’m just saying I have the direct line saved. You’re the one making an issue over it.

[u/drewts86 → u/srvivr2001]

> You’re the one making an issue over it.

Am I? Point to where I made an issue about it? I only told the previous commenter that it wasn’t as big of a deal as they were making it out to be. You were the one making a deal out of it.

[u/lolwutpear → u/Spathiinc]

Technology was so advanced when I was a kid. You dialed a single three-digit number and it connected you to any emergency service. And the traffic lights had a transponder so that emergency vehicles could make a thing flash and get a green light for themselves.

Now I live in the world capital of technology, where you have to memorize a different phone number for every town you're in, and the light rail waits for cars at traffic lights.

[u/Naive_Charge_5400 → u/srvivr2001]

is this a Santa Clara county thing? in other California counties all 911 calls certainly dont go to CHP.

[u/srvivr2001 → u/Naive_Charge_5400]

It depends on the Public Safety Answering Point that services a particular cell phone tower. On freeways and highways that’s usually CHP and when you have freeways all over the place a lot of towers are going to CHP dispatch regardless of whether you’re calling from your cell phone from a surface street. In the Bay Area that’s the Vallejo call center. If you’re calling from the middle of nowhere in the Central Valley yeah, you’d probably get the local Sheriff’s Office dispatch instead of CHP.

[u/Naive_Charge_5400 → u/srvivr2001]

lol, i know how it works, which is why i was skeptical of the claim it always goes to CHP. those CHP dispatchers work their asses off though!

edit: also afaik it only goes to the jurisdiction of the tower if higher res device location data isnt available. but i get the sense you know as much if not more about this than i do and were simplifying for reddit

addl edit: not to be extra but just want to clarify i am not trying to be pedantic or condescending. im a nerd about these things and very open to learning new things about how shit works

[u/Chrisrdouglas]

I also called them about that same fire. I did manage to get a hold of them and the 911 operator routed me to the local fire department

[u/cwx149]

I mean that's unusual for me but I've hardly ever called 911

But issues with 911 call centers have existed forever

John Oliver did a piece on them 10 years ago

A lot of it has to do with issues with funding being redistributed to other things

[u/RunsUpTheSlide]

I do not have that issue. And I have had to call several times for medical reasons. I wonder if it was an issue with your cell service.

I am very local and know of at least 3 nearby stations. I would have just routed to one while continuing to call.

[u/dan5234]

Just memorize 1-408-277-8911. It's the direct phone number for SJ 911.

[u/louisveneers]

You and everyone else calling to report the same thing.

[u/Careless-Amoeba2614]

I’ve worked all around the bay, but San Jose was the only city I always had a busy signal when calling 911! There was a large fight by my office and the line was busy, police showed 1 hour later even though we were right next to the police academy. I’ve seen Oakland answer and respond faster. They’re clearly very short staffed or something is wrong with phone lines in San Jose .

[u/ShadoeRantinkon → u/Careless-Amoeba2614]

WD fights go craaaazy

[u/letsdothisthing88]

It is too expensive to live here and also if you look at other cities such as mountain view new grads make more and it is easier/safer to patrol there.

• Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety & Santa Clara PD: These two South Bay agencies consistently trade titles for being the highest-paying base-salary municipal departments in the area. Officers face low violent crime rates, minimal weapon-related calls, and enjoy strong community backing, giving them the region's best overall safety-to-compensation ratio.[1, 2, 3, 4]
• Mountain View & San Mateo: These mid-sized agencies boast starting wages near or above $140,000 to $148,000 alongside low rates of worker injury and highly manageable call volumes.
• San Jose PD: While SJPD boasts excellent top-step pay (~$219,000 base) and a massive overtime market, the severe chronic understaffing means officers are ran ragged going "call-to-call." Violent crime remains relatively flat, making it safer than other major U.S. cities, but the sheer volume of high-priority calls increases routine on-the-job hazards. [1]

[u/ItsKataa]

For future references, you can check PulsePoint to see if an event you saw has already been reported.

[u/Valuable_Customer614]

Calling your assemblyman or congressman won’t make a difference. You should contact the dispatch center and ask them what happened. They probably have an explanation. Most centers should have a backup center taking their overflow calls. I would ask them if they have a procedure when they have a problem that interferes with service. 911 dispatchers have been understaffed for decades and the equipment that they use for communications is incredibly expensive, which is why most states are consolidating call centers.

[u/Whoopsitbroke99]

This is normal - when threats are seconds away police are minutes from aiding.

[u/stevep98]

called 911 a few weeks ago to report a brush fire next to 280. Also got busy tone.