Fake calls to Sutton fire services fall by 83 per cent (From Sutton Guardian)

Fake calls to Sutton fire services fall by 83 per cent

3:50pm Monday 22nd October 2012 in News By James Pepper

Hoax calls to firefighters have fallen 83 per cent since 2001.

New figures released last week by the London Fire Brigade show that in 2001 fire crews attended 149 malicious 999 calls in the borough but that had fallen to 25 by last year.

Since 2001 the Brigade’s 999 control officers have been taught to proactively challenge callers if they believe them to be making prank calls.

The brigade has also been working with mobile phone operators to target persistent offenders which has lead to about 100 mobile phones being cut off each year.

Firefighters have also been meeting young people through youth programmes to explain the consequences of making hoax calls.

Aaron Watson, the Brigade’s Borough Commander for Sutton, said: "Every time our crews are sent out to investigate a prank call they are unavailable to attend genuine, potentially life threatening emergencies in the borough."

"At a time when all public sector organisations are facing serious financial challenges attending hoax calls is not how Sutton residents want their emergency services to spend their precious time and money."