911: A BUSY NUMBER

The handling of 911 emergency calls came under question last week with the release of a recording of a man in Newhall frantically reporting a gang shooting and pleading “I’m going to get killed”--only to told “have a nice day” by a veteran Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputy, who then hung up on him.

At the Los Angeles Police Department, about half the telephone calls received by the department come through the 911 emergency number. In Long Beach, 911 calls make up more than half the total. But one detailed study of such calls--by the Sheriff’s Department--found that a significant percentage of 911 calls were not about emergencies at all. And in Beverly Hills, police say, only 1% of the 911 calls are “true emergencies,” meaning there is a potentially life-threatening problem. On the other hand, Los Angeles police say 27% of the people calling with real emergencies still do so the slow way--through 7-digit phone numbers.

Police departments normally are responsible for handling 911 calls, although many are quickly transferred to fire departments. In Los Angeles, in a step to overhaul the Emergency Medical Service system, the City Council last year authorized the hiring of a Salt Lake City expert to train fire dispatchers in how to screen calls. The training is designed help the dispatchers--who received approximately 200,000 medical emergency calls last year--decide when to send paramedics, who are trained to handle life-threatening emergencies, or firefighters trained as Emergency Medical Technicians to deal with less serious medical problems.

Some of the statistics on 911 calls:

LOS ANGELES POLICE DEPARTMENT

Total calls received in 1987 3,948,773 911 calls 1,906,449 (48% of total) 911 calls transferred * 235,000 (12% of 911s) to fire department

LONG BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT

Total calls received in 1987 478,35 Number of all calls accident-or crime-related 216,358 (48% of total) 911 calls 261,994 (54% of total) 911 calls transferred 41,919 (16% of 911s) to fire department

BEVERLY HILLS POLICE DEPARTMENT

Total 911 calls, fiscal year 87-88 16,823 911 calls transferred 2,726 (16%) to fire department Number found to be 168 (1%) “true emergencies” 911 calls from 13,766 (82%) home or business phones 911 calls from coin phones 3,057 (18%) 911 calls answered within three rings 16,423 (98%)

LOS ANGELES COUNTY SHERIFF’S DEPARTMENT

From a study of “emergency” calls received over a 72-hour period.

Total 911 calls received 5,077 Number requiring action 1,430 (28%) by sheriff’s deputies Number referred 779 (15%) to county fire department Medical emergencies 702 Fire-related 77 Referred to other agencies, 375 (7%) such as California Highway Patrol, Poison Control Officials, etc. Prank calls 1,248 (24%) Other (non-emergencies) 564 (11%) Miscellaneous 681 (13%)

* Fiscal year 1987-88 Sources: Police and fire departments named