Morgan County 911 Director Marshall Younker took to social media to ask the public again to help avoid unnecessary responses to accidental phone calls to the emergency dispatch center.
“We ask again that if you accidentally dial 911 that you please stay on the line and answer the questions the 911 call taker needs to verify everything is ok. Should the line disconnect, please answer the return calls and provide the needed information to reduce the number of incidents that requiring a law enforcement response to make sure the caller is safe,” the center posted recently.
In 2023, the center processed 1,699 hang up calls. That number fell to 1,021 in 2024.
“This is due to continued public education for the need to stay on the line and verify with the 911 call taker that the call was in fact accidental and there is no need a response. This help from the public along with Morgan County adding multiple options for use of text to 911and even video to 911 to help verify there is not a need for a response,” said Younker.
Staying on the line and providing accurate answers to the 911 call taker is key to reducing the demand on law enforcement resources. If a caller doesn’ t affirm to the 911 center that their call was accidental, law enforcement must respond to the location of the call to make sure no one needs assistance. In a county of this size, that response can take up to 30-45 minutes or more. Helping clear accidental calls to 911 can save officers from travel that isn’t needed.
