cell phone in rapid access safe

[sar]

I'm thinking of buying one of those cheapo pre-paid cellphones and keeping in my under bed rapid access safe. That way if badness happened and I wanted to go get my kid while my wife got out, she would have a phone to call 911, etc. The other phones, home and cell tend to get left where they get left. Looking for one during a crisis situation would seem difficult.

Anyone do this? Any comments on the viability of this idea?

[longtooth]

At night when my gun comes off it, mag holster, pepper, & cell go in their place. Wife knows to grab it & call. She is also one of the designated callers in cace of trouble at the church.
When my feet hit the floor my hand is on my gun. Cell is in reach w/o a step.

[flb_78]

2 problems that I see are that the minutes on a prepaid phone will expire after a certain amount of time, and does the safe have a way to let a cord in to keep the battery charged?

My cell phone is also 1 of my 3 alarm clocks and is on the night stand next to my gun. Her phone in on her side ready to go.

[stevie_d_64]

If a "pre-paid" phone is what you want, than that'll work...From what I understand, and I stand to be corrected if I am wrong, I thought any cell phone, as long as it is charged will always be able to connect to any available 911 system, even if it the account has been deactivated...

Thats a good idea though about keeping one handy, where you know it'll be...A problem I see is that unless you keep it on, ready to call in the safe, it takes a little while for that thing to boot up...Not sure how you'd keep it charged up though...

Tossing it to someone for them to deal with that issue may be ok, as long as you are going to handle the "real" threat...Someone else can certainly make the call...

I think it'll work out for you...

[sar]

Prepaid would be to not add yet another phone to our plan. I work a lot overnight and simply don't think that my wife will alway put her phone by her bedside charged in at all times.

Charging shouldn't be an issue since the phone won't need to be powered on. The battery shouldlast for a long time. I'd simply check the battery on the phone the same day I check the safe's battery.

[longtooth]

Sounds like a plan.

[sar]

Also, there's a regular phone that lives at the bedside.
My plan if I were home and anything happens is for me to take my kimber and fetch my child. My wife has a 642 with crimson trace grips and I'd want her to be leaving out the back door and getting to safety.

If she had to go alone since I was working overnight, she'd use the home line(the alarm would be sounding in any case) and be on her own to protect daughter with whichever(or both) weapons she wanted to use.

We have an exit door in our bedroom-that's one of the main reasons for the cell phone. I'd hate for her to get outside or to the car, or whatever and not be able to call anyone.

For that matter, if I were alone in the house and had a break in, I'd escape (armed) rather than try an engage an intruder. Just 'cuz I'm armed and legally allowed to use force to protect property doesn't mean I'll succeed without getting injured or killed.

[KBCraig]

Minutes don't count for 911. Any cell phone that can access a network can call 911 for free. You can pick up any phone made in the last 10 (or so) years for five bucks at a garage sale, or you can spend $20 for a Tracfone and not bother buying minutes for it.

The problem with leaving one in a safe is going to be keeping it charged. I would strongly advise against leaving it turned off, because it can take 30-60 second (longer, if you have a busy network or weak signal) from the time you hit the power button, until you can make a call.

[sar]

Guess the keeping it on thing is a good idea. No problem though, I can just drill a little hole in the safe and run a cord through.

[boomerang]

This sounds like a good idea for my old cell phone when I upgrade, except I won't lock it up.

[kitty]

Why not just get in the habit of making sure there is phone by you before going to bed, like brushing your teeth and taking a shower, or whatever your regular bedtime routine is. Before I go to bed, I find my phone, plug it in if needs to be, then I get my gun and put it within easy access. In the morning, I put up the gun, but still have it within easy access, and put the phone in the kitchen.

[Skiprr]

Why not just get in the habit of making sure there is a phone by you before going to bed, like brushing your teeth and taking a shower, or whatever your regular bedtime routine is. Before I go to bed, I find my phone, plug it in if needs to be, then I get my gun and put it within easy access.

Naw. That's too logical.

Welcome, kitty.

[kitty]

Why not just get in the habit of making sure there is a phone by you before going to bed, like brushing your teeth and taking a shower, or whatever your regular bedtime routine is. Before I go to bed, I find my phone, plug it in if needs to be, then I get my gun and put it within easy access.

Naw. That's too logical.

Welcome, kitty.

Ahhhh, I see. Must be a "guy" thing to do things the hard way.

[sar]

Why not just get in the habit of making sure there is a phone by you before going to bed, like brushing your teeth and taking a shower, or whatever your regular bedtime routine is. Before I go to bed, I find my phone, plug it in if needs to be, then I get my gun and put it within easy access.

Naw. That's too logical.

Welcome, kitty.

Ahhhh, I see. Must be a "guy" thing to do things the hard way.

I work a lot overnight and simply don't think that my wife will alway put her phone by her bedside charged in at all times.

If I were less gentlemanly, I would say something about "gal" things and reading comprehension. I know where my cellphone is and purposely keep it away from the beside table as it will ring at all hours, unless turned off. My wife's cell phone has a significant tendency to be nomadic.

[sar]

Also, home phone is nearby, but isn't adequate for when you decide to leave out the back.