LONOKE COUNTY, AR — It’s a problem for 911 operators everywhere…children dialing 911 accidentally on an old cell phone or in some cases just for fun.
Christy Kenzel, a dispatch supervisor with Lonoke County says on a 12 hour shift, an operator may get up to ten calls from children with no emergencies. The number is programmed into some phones, so it’s as simple as pushing one button. And on other phones, you hold down the 9, and the phone automatically dials 911.
Kenzel said, “Yeah, I have friends all over the United States and everywhere it’s everywhere, in all the agencies.”
With five kids, Sarah Turner is all too familiar with accidental emergency phone calls. Turner says — one time — officers even came out to her house after a child dialed 911 for fun. She said things have changed for her family since then.
Turner told Fox16 News, “By not letting them have my phone and when I give them an old phone, I take the batteries out.”
Sometimes parents keep old cell phones charged so kids can play games on them, but it’s just not worth the risk that your child could end up making an emergency phone call.
Kenzel said, “Parents don’t realize even if there is no service on that phone, it can actually dial 911.”
We’re told a phone call with a child could last two minutes or more. There’s only two 911 operators per shift — in Lonoke County — so that can be a problem.
Kenzel said, “A lot of pressures and that builds up when you got to answer 911 calls with a kid on the phone.”
Of course there are times when children have to make an emergency phone call. Operators are trained on how to tell the difference between a play call and a real one. But, they must stay on the phone until they’re absolutely sure there is no emergency.
If you would like to follow Melissa Schroeder’s reports on Facebook, you can click here and like her page.
Christy Kenzel, a dispatch supervisor with Lonoke County says on a 12 hour shift, an operator may get up to ten calls from children with no emergencies. The number is programmed into some phones, so it’s as simple as pushing one button. And on other phones, you hold down the 9, and the phone automatically dials 911.
Kenzel said, “Yeah, I have friends all over the United States and everywhere it’s everywhere, in all the agencies.”
With five kids, Sarah Turner is all too familiar with accidental emergency phone calls. Turner says — one time — officers even came out to her house after a child dialed 911 for fun. She said things have changed for her family since then.
Turner told Fox16 News, “By not letting them have my phone and when I give them an old phone, I take the batteries out.”
Sometimes parents keep old cell phones charged so kids can play games on them, but it’s just not worth the risk that your child could end up making an emergency phone call.
Kenzel said, “Parents don’t realize even if there is no service on that phone, it can actually dial 911.”
We’re told a phone call with a child could last two minutes or more. There’s only two 911 operators per shift — in Lonoke County — so that can be a problem.
Kenzel said, “A lot of pressures and that builds up when you got to answer 911 calls with a kid on the phone.”
Of course there are times when children have to make an emergency phone call. Operators are trained on how to tell the difference between a play call and a real one. But, they must stay on the phone until they’re absolutely sure there is no emergency.
If you would like to follow Melissa Schroeder’s reports on Facebook, you can click here and like her page.