People call about trivial matters, not realizing that in this way they engage emergency services, which at that time may be needed somewhere where someone genuinely requires their help.
A 34-year-old man called the emergency medical service, saying that he required immediate help because… his legs were going numb. The emergency team could not get into the apartment. More services were dispatched to the scene. Police officers and paramedics tried to get inside, but no one answered. They notified the fire service, which forced the door open. Inside—again—there was no one. After a while, the man who had made the call emerged from hiding; he had been watching the emergency services’ operation the entire time. He explained to the police officers that he had alerted the emergency service because he had become stressed. He was fined 500 zlotys.
A 55-year-old resident of Lubin was responsible for another pointless call to the emergency services. The woman called the Lubin police duty officer, saying that her daughter had just contacted her by phone and told her that her 2-year-old child was not breathing.
The police officer immediately sent a police patrol and an emergency medical team to the indicated address. No one was in the apartment, and no one opened the door. The officers determined that the two-year-old’s mother had left home; the neighbors had not seen the child. The police continued trying to determine where she was. Eventually, they found the child’s mother. As it turned out, the child was fine, while the two women had argued with each other two days earlier and had not spoken since.
The officers therefore reached the caller, who… was drunk. She was unable to give a rational explanation for her behavior. The case will be referred to court. Unjustifiably alarming emergency services is punishable by arrest, restriction of liberty or a fine of up to 1,500 zlotys. In both cases, the emergency services may also seek reimbursement of the costs of carrying out the unnecessary operation.
These are just two extreme cases, but people call for many trivial reasons. For example, a man called 997 and demanded police intervention. When asked why, he said: “I’m not speaking to my wife; please have the police come and ask her where the car keys are.” Another caller said: “I’m not speaking to my wife, and for several days she hasn’t done anything around the farm; please come and order her to take care of it.”
Let us remember: emergency numbers are intended to save lives and protect health, not to resolve marital conflicts or for amusement.
KPP Lubin/ii