Configuration for Emergency Calls

Last Updated : Aug 30, 2026 |
This page provides a summary of IP Office emergency call handling. For full details, refer to the IP Office Emergency Call Configuration manual.
The configuration of every system must contain at least one short code using the Dial Emergency feature. Dial Emergency overrides all external call barring that may have been applied to the user whose dialing has been matched to the short code. You must still ensure that no other short code or extension match occurs that would prevent the dialing of an emergency number being matched to the short code.
The short code (or codes) can be added as a system short code or as an ARS record short code. If the Dial Emergency short code is added at the solution level, that short code is automatically replicated into the configuration of all servers in the network and must be suitable for dialing by users on all systems. Separate Dial Emergency short codes can be added to the configuration of an individual system. Those short codes will only be useable by users currently hosted on the system including users who have hotdesked onto an extension supported by the system.
It is the installers responsibility to ensure that a Dial Emergency short code or codes are useable by all users. It is also their responsibility to ensure that either:
  • the trunks via which the resulting call may be routed are matched to the physical location to which emergency service should be dispatched
  • the outgoing calling line ID number sent with the call matches the physical location from which the user is dialing.
  • If the system uses external dialing prefixes, you should also ensure that the dialing of emergency numbers with and without the prefix is allowed.
The blocking or rerouting of emergency calls to a intermediate destination other than the emergency response service may be against local and nation laws.

Hot Desking Users

In addition to the location requirements above, you must also remember that for users who hot desk, from the networks perspective the user's location is that of the system hosting the extension onto which the user is currently hotdesked. If that is an IP extension then that location is not necessarily the same as the physical location of the server.

Emergency call setup

Routing of emergency calls is based on a call resolving to a Dial Emergency short code. Based on the location value for the extension making the call, routing is performed by the Emergency ARS form configured for that location. You must ensure that the short codes in the ARS use lines appropriate for emergency calls from that location.

Configuring emergency call routing

At its simplest, Create a Dial Emergency system short code. Note that the Line Group ID value in the Dial Emergency short code is overridden if the extension's Locations has an Emergency ARS defined.
  1. Create system short codes for each emergency number used in the system locale. The short codes should use the Dial Emergency feature. Add short codes for the same numbers dialed with and without any expected external dialing prefixes.
  2. Create an emergency ARS. This should containing shorts codes that take the output of the system short codes created above and dials them to the external trunks that should be used for emergency calls from the system.
  3. Create a Location for the system and set the Emergency ARS to the ARS created above.
  4. Set the location as the system's Location value on the System | System page.
  5. For each Extn, set the Location defined above.
  6. Test the correct operation of emergency dialing.
  7. For networks with multiple systems and locations, create additional emergency ARS entries and locations as necessary to ensure that emergency calls from any location are sent using appropriate trunks.
Related links
Emergency Call IndicationSystem Alarm Output