FALSE CALLS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30531, 28 August 1964, Page 1

FALSE CALLS

11l Service Misused The Post Office was getting “phoney” emergency calls on 111 at the rate of one every two minutes yesterday afternoon. The emergency service for quick access to police, ambulance and fire brigade does not begin until 11 p.m. today. Mr J. W. Lincoln, the Chief Postmaster, blames children home for the school holidays. “Usually there is no speech,” he said. “Once they get through they hang up.” When anyone dials 111 a hooter sounds in the toll room and an operator answers. Continual hooting all week has been annoying the staff considerably. When the cut-over takes place tonight, false calls on 111 will be a serious matter.

“They may stop genuine urgent calls from getting through,” said Mr Lincoln. “There have, been up to 30 calls an hour today, and right up to 5 p.m. the rate was still 24 an hour. “There were 14 calls between 3.30 pan. and 3.45 p.m., and only one was genuine. It was a call for an ambulance.” Mr Lincoln said an operator asked one child who dialled 111 if his mother was home. “Yes,” said the boy after a pause. “Can I speak to her please,” said the operator. “No,” said the boy promptly and hung up. The Post Office was not able to appeal to that mother to keep her son away from the telephone, but it does appeal to all parents to make sure their children do not dial 111.

“Preparations for the cutover are at a very critical stage.” said Mr Lincoln. “It’s as if the place had been pulled down for rebuilding, with only skeleton lines left.”