What To Do When You Don’t Have Your Phone

[Chance]

Interesting story from Dallas Morning News. A 12-year-old girl was home by herself, when an intruder broke into the house. She had left her phone in the kitchen to charge, which is where the thief made entry. Not being able to call for help, she hid in her room and used her to tablet to FaceTime a friend, whose father called the cops. Happy ending.

I was thinking about something similar just the other day. I often leave my phone in one room (usually, the living room), while I’m off doing something in another. Unfortunately, to get to both the living room, and the alarm panel, you have to pass the front door. So, while bunkering down is easy, I could potentially find myself without the means to call for help from a safe-ish area in the event of a home invasion.

I’m curious if anyone here has thought about this, and came up with solutions. While it’s easy to say, “Just carry your phone”, grabbing my cell every time I get up to use the restroom, or grab a drink of water, is kind of a pain. I would love to hear what y’all've come up with.

[Totem Polar]

Test reply, for forum tracking.

But so long as I'm at it, the simple solution is a cheap prepaid on a charger in your safe room--the only purpose of which is as a backup (in any situation that would call for a backup; losing the primary or dunking the smart phone in the biffy is probably a lot more likely than home invasion, but either way...).

Just one idea. Two is one, and all that. Another idea is a land line; hey, why not? People still tote Ruger Vaqueros in rural areas on occasion, too...

[Default.mp3]

But so long as I'm at it, the simple solution is a cheap prepaid on a charger in your safe room--the only purpose of which is as a backup (in any situation that would call for a backup; losing the primary or dunking the smart phone in the biffy is probably a lot more likely than home invasion, but either way...).

You don't need a prepaid, any cellphone that can turn on can call 911, regardless of whether or not it has a service plan attached to it, as long as it has a signal. Preferably a newer phone, as they will have better location indicators.

[Luke]

I usually keep my phone on me. But I do have guns on either side of the house.

[Chance]

You don't need a prepaid, any cellphone that can turn on can call 911, regardless of whether or not it has a service plan attached to it, as long as it has a signal.

That's basically what I was thinking, but I was a tad concerned about the phone holding a charge. I was considering just keeping it plugged in long-term, but I don't know if keeping a battery powered device plugged in for what would likely be years at a time is a good idea.

The phones I have seem to lose a charge after about three weeks of lying around, even when they're off. I thought about removing the battery, and see how long the charge would last then.

[Drang]

Is mine the last household with a landline?

[BehindBlueI's]

Is mine the last household with a landline?

Yes. Yes you are. Do you pay your bill via carrier pigeon?

Anyway, options include:

Alarm key fobs. (You do have a monitored alarm, don't you?)
Old cell phones
A landline, if you are Amish
Nosy neighbors

[Drang]

Yes. Yes you are. Do you pay your bill via carrier pigeon?

Pony Express. The cats kept eating the pigeons...

[Wondering Beard]

Is mine the last household with a landline?

Nope, and I've got a phone for every important room.

[Wendell]