Emergency Call Handling
Administrators have the ability to configure emergency call routing to help ensure calls will reach public safety responders.
Scope
Zoom Phone endpoints refer to Zoom Workplace applications for macOS & Windows, iPadOS, IP Phones registered to Zoom Phone, and VDI clients.
On iOS and Android devices, emergency calls placed through the Zoom Workplace mobile application are handled by the device’s native cellular carrier. On Wifi-only mobile iOS and Android devices, Zoom Phone emergency calling is supported. In these cases, the Zoom Workplace application also sends an emergency call notification email so that the designated safety team is informed, but the call itself is routed outside of Zoom.
Emergency Call Routing to the Public Safety Answering Point(PSAP) and Internal Safety Teams
Emergency call routing can be configured at the account level, at the site level in multi-site deployments, or at the individual extension level. Calls can be routed to the PSAP, to an Internal Safety Response Team, or to both in parallel. The Internal Safety Response Team is a Zoom Phone call queue that can receive, record, and monitor emergency calls, and can be configured separately for each Zoom Phone site.
In production environments, emergency calls are normally routed to the PSAP. For testing or other controlled scenarios, administrators can disable this setting if required.
Emergency Call Handling for Extension-Only Users and Devices
Admins configure how users, rooms, and common area phones that do not have an assigned local phone number are routed when an emergency call is placed. These users can connect to a public safety answering point (PSAP). When PSAP routing is enabled, you must choose a caller ID method so that PSAP has a way to call the user, room, or device back.
Emergency Number Pool
A temporary number from the Emergency Number Pool can be used as the caller ID when an extension-only user places an emergency call. The pool consists of one or more phone numbers dedicated to this purpose.
When an extension-only user places an emergency call, a number from the pool is automatically assigned as the outbound caller ID. For approximately the next two hours, inbound calls to that number are routed to the originating extension. Subsequent emergency calls use the next available number in the pool. If all numbers are in use, the system re-uses a number without affecting an in-progress call; the most recent caller to use that number becomes the call-back destination.
The country code for numbers in the emergency number pool must match the country of the site's default emergency address. A Zoom Phone site should provide services for only one country. Mixing BYOC and Native numbers in the same pool is not supported, as it complicates the maintenance of address records.
Receptionist or Call Queue
A dedicated auto-receptionist or call queue number can also be assigned as the outbound caller ID. Callbacks to the number will reach the receptionist or queue. If this method is used, the destination must be reserved for safety response purposes and maintained on a 24x7x365 basis by an internal team aware of emergency activity. Otherwise, callback routing should be configured to return to the originating extension.
Caller Location
In the US and Canada, when Zoom’s native calling plans and services are used for emergency calls, the caller’s emergency address is sent directly to the PSAP, independent of the outbound caller ID. Extension-only users can therefore use numbers from the pool, provided their configured or detected emergency address in Zoom is current. Nomadic solutions with detectable company or personal locations can also be applied.
Outside the US and Canada, and for BYOC numbers where the carrier handles emergency calls, the PSAP determines the user's location from the caller ID by referencing the address of record associated with that number. In these cases, the ‘address of record’ for numbers in the pool must correspond appropriately to the originating caller, and addresses cannot be updated in real time. Typically, a site's default address is used as the address of record for numbers in the pool.
All numbers in the emergency number pool should be of a single type—either all Zoom Native or all BYOC—because mixed pools complicate management of address records. Accurate address reporting for remotely located extension-only users cannot be supported through the pool; remote users require a DID that corresponds to their primary location.
For more information, refer to the Routing Emergency Calls support article.
Custom Call Handling for Emergency Service Numbers
In certain environments—such as corporate campuses, hospitals, or high-security facilities—organizations may need to trigger internal response workflows when non-traditional emergency numbers are dialed. For example, a campus security desk reachable at extension 711 or a hazardous materials hotline at 811 may be considered critical for a local emergency response. Zoom Phone supports Custom Call Handling for Emergency Services Numbers, enabling administrators to define additional emergency numbers and associated routing logic, while preserving the ability to trigger emergency alerts and escalate response actions.
This feature is especially useful when you want to route calls to these numbers similarly to 911 routing—that is, routing calls to an Internal Safety Response Team, triggering Emergency Services Alerts, and optionally forwarding to external destinations such as PSAPs or SIP groups. This allows your organization to extend safety measures beyond traditional emergency calls.
Adding a Custom Emergency Call Handling Rule
To configure custom handling for an additional emergency services number, begin by signing in to the Zoom web portal. From the navigation menu, select Phone System Management > Company Info. If your account has multiple sites enabled, click the name of the relevant site. If sites are disabled, click Account Settings. Next, select the Emergency Services tab.
Scroll down to the Emergency Service Routing section and locate Custom Call Handling for Emergency Service Numbers. If Custom Call Handling for Emergency Service Numbers section is not present, open a Zoom Support request to enable the service for the account. When ready, click Add to open the configuration dialog.
Enter a Rule Name that clearly reflects its purpose—e.g., Campus Security Hotline (711). In the Number Pattern field, input the internal extension or PSTN number you want to monitor.
Configuring the Custom Routing Path
Select the desired Routing Path from the drop-down list. Options include:
To Internal Safety Response Team first, and route to PSAP after Max Holding Time – Ideal for organizations where the internal team should be the first line of response. For example, a school may want the campus safety office to respond to a “711” call before it escalates to 911.
To PSAP only (via PSTN) – Use this for custom numbers intended to reach public emergency services directly.
To Internal Safety Response Team only – Suitable when your organization’s internal team will handle the entire incident, such as private medical dispatch in large healthcare systems.
To SIP Group only – For routing to external SIP-based dispatch or facility security centers.
To Internal Safety Response Team first, and route to SIP Group after Max Holding (8 seconds) – Offers fast failover when working with external security vendors or managed service providers.
Once all fields are configured, click Save to activate the custom rule. These calls will now be monitored and handled using the same robust alerting and escalation capabilities as standard 911 calls, provided Emergency Services Alerts are enabled.
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