Many 911 Calls are Misdialed
By: Jennifer Penate
Updated: May 11, 2012
JOPLIN, MO --
One out of four 9-1-1 calls to the Joplin Police Department are misdialed calls.
Dispatchers receive 15 to 20 accidental 9-1-1 calls a day.
Police officials say those calls do not interfere with actual emergencies because officers are not dispatched for them.
But, they remind people to be more aware of their phones.
Dispatcher also receives many non-emergency calls and remind people that 9-1-1 should only be dialed for life-threatening situations.
"Medical calls, fire, house, fire, vehicle fire. As for police- domestc, stolen vehicle," says Sunny Goodwin, emergency communications manager for JPD.
Calls that don't qualify as an emergency include pet situations and phone and address inquiries.
