Emergency services count the cost of hoax calls

Kingston emergency services count the cost of hoax calls

7:20am Tuesday 17th January 2012 in News

More than 200 hoax calls have been made to firefighters and ambulance staff in Kingston since 2008, a Surrey Comet investigation has revealed.

Tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money was spent responding to prank calls which bosses said could put lives at risk.

Kingston firefighters spent 50 hours responding to 121 malicious calls in the past three years, at an estimated expense of nearly £40,000 based on the £300 it cost for every fire call out.

The borough commander John Elwell said despite reducing the number of hoax calls and malicious or false alarms still represented an unwanted drain on brigade resources.

He said: "Hoax calls take our firefighters away from real emergencies, prevent them from undertaking essential training and keep them from carrying out community safety work, including fitting smoke alarms for those at risk of fire.

"There is also a cost in terms of fuel used and the environmental effect – in terms of emissions – of these unnecessary journeys."

Kingston ambulance service has received 93 hoax calls since 2008 but said the biggest drain on resources was not malicious calls but patients phoning with non emergencies.

A spokesman for the ambulance service said: "Only about 10 per cent of patients who call us have a life-threatening condition.

"We would always urge people to only dial 999 in a genuine emergency. If it is not a life-threatening situation then there are a range of other services available.

"Choosing the most suitable way of getting the care needed can save time and help us to respond more quickly to patients in most need of help."

A person found guilty of hoax calling could be sent to prison for up to six months or ordered to pay a maximum fine of £5,000. For persistent misuse, the courts can impose a fine of up to £50,000.

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