How do I send email notifications when someone Dials 911?

IMPORTANT

How do I Set Up Switchvox for Emergency Dialing? Switchvox version 7.3.1 includes a new "Emergency Dialing" category in the Alerts Manager, for email notifications when a user dials 911. If you are using an earlier version of Switchvox, this article provides instructions for creating those email notifications using an IVR. If you need to send an email notification when a user dials something other than 911, follow these instructions but use the appropriate number.

Creating the outgoing call rules

For this method to work we will need two sets of 911 rules, one for extensions to route calls to this IVR and one for the IVR to route the calls out of the system. For clarity in the article we will be referring to these as 911 internal and 911 external

First we create the 911 Internal Rule

1. In /admin, go to Setup > Outgoing Calls

2. Rule Name: 911 Internal

3. Number begins with the digits 911

4. The rest of the numbers must be between 0 and 0 digits in length

5. Before connecting the call, trim 3 digits from the front, and the prepend the digits 900 to the number

6. Primary Call Through Provider Internal

Open

Next we create the 911 External Rule

1. Go to Setup > Outgoing Calls

2. Rule Name: 911 External

3. Number begins with the digits 911

4. The rest of the numbers must be between 0 and 0 digits in length

5. Before connecting the call, trim 0 digits from the front, and the prepend the digits (leave blank) to the number

6. Primary Call Through Provider (Select your provider)

Open

Creating the IVR

1. In /admin go to Tools > IVR Editor

2. Click Create IVR Menu, name the IVR, 911 Email Alert

3. Click Modify Actions > Create IVR Action

4. Select the action Send To Email from the dropdown

Creating the Email

In order for the email to correctly identify the name and extension number of the user that called 911, we will need to make use of variables. The two variables we will be using are the caller id name and the caller id number variables. For this example we will have the subject read as follows “ 911 ALERT!! Jenny has dialed 911 from extension 5309”.

1. Enter the email you want to receive these notification

2. Enter the email you want to send these notification

3. Possible System Variables To Use In Email drop down menu select caller ID name then click append to subject. This will add the caller id name variable to the subject line. Variables are added to latest point in the sentence.

4. Repeat step c for the body of the email ex: %CALLER_ID_NAME% has dialed 911 from extension %CALLER_ID_NUMBER%

5. Save

Finish the IVR

1. Create another IVR action to go after the Send to Email action.  Choose Send to External Number.

2. Enter 911 as the number to dial

3. Outgoing Call Rules for this number, use the magnifying glass icon and choose the 911 external rule you created earlier, then click allow

When you are done the IVR will look like this:

Lastly, modify the outgoing call rules on the extensions

In this step the call rules on the extensions will be altered to force them to call through 911 internal and not 911 external or the default 911 rule

1. In /admin, go to Setup > Extensions > Manage and click to Bulk Modify.

2. Select all extensions

3. Select the Outgoing Call Rules tab

4. Select Allow or Deny Outgoing Call Rules, then click next

5. Click the magnifying glass to bring up all the call rules on the extension select the system default 911 rule then click deny

6. Next select 911 internal and click allow

7. Save Modifications