For several years, the residents of Ozaukee County have had the capability of calling for emergency police, fire and rescue services through an enhanced 9-1-1 phone system. To summon help, a person dials 9-1-1 and the call is routed to the proper emergency dispatch center. When the call is received, the address of the caller is displayed. This assists the dispatchers in sending the right equipment and personnel to the proper location.

Since the system was placed into service, emergency dispatch centers have experienced large numbers of 9-1-1 hang-up calls. As a result, officers are sent to the address to verify whether there is a problem or not. In most cases, the number was dialed incorrectly by someone. Other cases involve children and toddlers playing with the phone. In some cases, cordless phones have automatically dialed 9-1-1 when the batteries go dead.

In 1997, the Ozaukee Sheriff’s Department responded to 272 false 9-1-1 calls. In 1998, the number rose to 314 false calls. As of June 1999, the number of false 9-1-1 calls is at 122 and increasing every day.

When officers respond to these false 9-1-1 calls, they take the risk of being involved in a motor vehicle crash with their emergency vehicles. If the citizens would take a few simple precautions, this risk will be minimized and the number of false 9-1-1 calls will be reduced dramatically. The Ozaukee County Sheriff’s Department recommends:

Do not program 9-1-1 into the speed dial feature of your phones. The number was designed to be an easy-to-remember, universal number that is easily dialed. Many bogus calls are received from people who hit the wrong speed dial button on their phone

Supervise small children and do not let them play with phones.

Only use the 9-1-1 system for actual emergencies. Questions and requests for information should be called in on a non-emergency phone line. These numbers are listed on the inside cover of your phone book.

If you happen to dial 9-1-1 by mistake, stay on the line and explain the circumstances to the dispatcher. An officer will probably be sent but they will adjust their response accordingly.