Smelly cat, hot wings: Things Atlanta police say you should not call 911 for
Posted on May 22, 2024 at 6:20 pm Eastern Daylight Time
The Atlanta emergency dispatch center has noted a rise in 911 calls that are not urgent. These calls are hindering their ability to assist individuals who are actually in need promptly.
In Atlanta, it's important to dial 911 when there's an emergency, but many times the people who handle the calls receive requests that are not urgent.
Although a single call might not appear significant, dispatchers claim they receive them frequently, which can impede their response time to actual urgent situations.
"I'm contacting 911 because there's a foul odor in the house due to the cat, ma'am," a man informed the dispatcher. "The lady is attempting to use incense to cover up the smell."
Atlanta Man Dials 911 Due To Foul Cat Litter
"I'm currently outside and was hoping if someone could place an order for hot wings on my behalf," relayed another individual to the operator.
Atlanta Woman Dials 911 For Chicken Wings
According to the Atlanta Police, both phone calls reveal a serious issue with people using 911 inappropriately.
According to Desiree Arnold, who is the Executive Director of Atlanta E911, instructing individuals to solely dial 911 has been a long-standing recommendation that no longer suffices as a solution.
According to Arnold, her team receives approximately 3,700 phone calls daily, and a significant number of them aren't genuine emergencies. She wishes to receive fewer pointless calls that cause her team to waste time.
According to her, individuals should refrain from calling 911 or seeking their assistance in situations that require the expertise of police, fire, or medical personnel.
The E911 center in Atlanta managed to receive about 1.3 million phone calls in the previous year. Although this might appear to be a large number, nearly 4% of those calls were actually classified as genuine emergencies.
According to APD, there was a 14% increase in 911 calls from the previous year.
Even though there are more phone calls coming in, the usual waiting time to connect with a representative is getting better and is roughly 14 seconds most of the time, with an 82% success rate. This is slightly better than what is typical in the field.
According to Arnold, the figures can be further boosted if they reduce the number of unwarranted 911 calls. She advises individuals to dial 311 for non-urgent issues.
The statement made was a request to the public to refrain from dialing 911 unless it's a real emergency because it's not a place to seek general information. The operator explained that the purpose of the service is to assist with critical events that need immediate attention.
Arnold advises that you only dial or send a message to 911 in critical or emergency situations where there is a risk to someone's life.
A campaign has been launched to assist individuals in making decisions entitled "Make the Right Call."
