Stupid 999 Calls

Realist · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:50

Because the person calling might be using the initial call as a means for help and some people do use it just for a chat and if the operator thinks the person needs help then Police or other services will be dispatched to the callers address.

Just imagine if the operator hung up and the caller took an overdose or needed help, would not look good.

But its true that some idiots need a slap and educating in what the 999/112 service is for.

Regards.

sr4470 said:
a) Why aren't the operators allowed to hang up?

nikebee · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:52

furnace said:
You must have had some distressing moments speaking to people in an emergency? I don't think I'd like to do it, knowing some of the **** that happens out there...

/morbid curiosity

completely off topic, but that dog in your sig is hilarious!

Mulder · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:53

sr4470 said:
a) Why aren't the operators allowed to hang up?

I guess in case there is a real emergency. I mean, obviously it's very unlikely that any of these calls could have been an emergency, but you can imagine a court case where someone sues because an emergency operator hung up and then the caller gets into trouble.

Indy500 · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:54

Mulder said:
I guess in case there is a real emergency. I mean, obviously it's very unlikely that any of these calls could have been an emergency, but you can imagine a court case where someone sues because an emergency operator hung up and then the caller gets into trouble.

Hmm, yeah.

JIM_BOB7813 · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:54

nikebee said:
The old, hold down the 9 button to auto ring 999 thing?

I think that you can still dial 999 or (112)? even if you lock the keypad

Dup · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:56

They spend an awful lot of time entertaining them.

They should ascertain if its a genuine call ASAP and if its not just say "999 is for Police EMERGENCIES only and hang up".

JIM_BOB7813 · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:57

sr4470 said:
a) Why aren't the operators allowed to hang up?

It's probably better that the operator properly explains what the 999 line is used for AND what she should do to sort out her petty little prime-minister problem or the daft bint would ring up 999 again, still not understanding what to do.

nikebee · 14 Dec 2007 at 16:59

Mulder said:
I guess in case there is a real emergency. I mean, obviously it's very unlikely that any of these calls could have been an emergency, but you can imagine a court case where someone sues because an emergency operator hung up and then the caller gets into trouble.

"Hello 999...."
"Hi there, what date is it today?"
"Sir this is for emergencies only...." *Hangs up*
*Guy drops dead*
"See Jeff... I told you it was the 14th... no point calling for that ambulance now is there..."

UKTopGun · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:01

Sort of on topic. If someone rang 112 in the UK, would it redirect them to their local 999 service?

divine` · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:03

JIM_BOB7813 said:
I think that you can still dial 999 or (112)? even if you lock the keypad

You can dial most international emergency numbers with a locked phone.

I'd imagine this is so that if you're found face down unconscious in a ditch, and that person doesn't have a phone, they can just dial 999 without having to figure how you're meant to unlock the phone first.

divine` · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:04

UKTopGun said:
Sort of on topic. If someone rang 112 in the UK, would it redirect them to their local 999 service?

112 redirects to any local emergency number.

If you dial it in the UK it dials 999, in the US it dials 911 for example.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-1-2

gord · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:06

I thought some of the responses to the PM one here were overreactions.. i thought.. it cant be that bad..

But it is.. infact i got a tad angry.. i wanted to jump in the conversation and just shout at the silly bint until she realised. As Gilly said, major kudos to the call handler.. patience of a saint.

Do these people not realise they could be stopping calls that actually have a purpose to saving someones life?

Malt_Vinegar · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:11

Dup said:
They spend an awful lot of time entertaining them.

They should ascertain if its a genuine call ASAP and if its not just say "999 is for Police EMERGENCIES only and hang up".

I know its a big what if, but someone on the end of the line might want it to seem like a normal call, and be waiting for the police to ask if it is an emergency.

I presume thats why they are not allowed to just hang up.

PureAppleJuice · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:30

AJUK said:
These people should be in a home somewhere and drugged until they are dribbling. A menace to society, all of them.

That's a bit extreme isn't it? Oh wait, you posted.

tsgray70 · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:48

I used to handle 999 calls when BT had an operator centre in Leicester. To be honest I really miss the job. Yes the majority of calls were nuisance. But its the funny ones I remember. The bad ones just seem to wash over you because you are so focussed on what you are doing. I had bomb threats, (one even came from an Irish gentleman with a code word once), plane crashes, births, deaths and serious crimes etc.

The one that made me smile though was the chap that had got out of the bath and sat on a wicker chair to dry himself. Upon doing so one of his testicles had gone through one of the little holes in the seat and stuck fast. Thats when it started to swell......

He sat there for hours before calling, and I can't help but wonder, how did he get to the phone with the chair attached?

bigred · 14 Dec 2007 at 17:55

Mulder said:
The woman who is after the PM is really, really annoying. I stopped it before she had finished.

The operator should have sent out police to her address in order to arrest her for wasting Police time, or an ambulance to take her to be sectioned.

Energize · 14 Dec 2007 at 18:05

The mobile phones dialling it is pretty stupid, luckily mine is a pda phone so that can't happen, but you should not be able to dial any number when the keypad is locked.

gillywibble · 14 Dec 2007 at 18:10

bigred said:
The operator should have sent out police to her address in order to arrest her for wasting Police time, or an ambulance to take her to be sectioned.

That's exactly what I was thinking. ROFL when she said 'this IS an emergency'!

AJUK · 14 Dec 2007 at 18:55

jidh007 said:
That's a bit extreme isn't it? Oh wait, you posted.

At least you know where I stand on most issues.

Vote AJUK!

theo · 14 Dec 2007 at 19:25

A simple solution to accidently calling 999 on your mobile phone, leave it unlocked. That means the chance of dialing 999 is greatly reduced which could save a life

But i will admit a stupid calling of 999... Back in the days of dial up internet, i was trying to get the settings sort and put in a temporary phone number of 99999999392847986 or something along those lines. In the morning an officer comes round and says there were two silent 999 calls from this address, i was young enough to be scared and just explained what had happened and appologized