911....what is your emergency....HELLO? HELLO?
WATERLOO, Iowa - A rogue cell phone is not accepting calls, but it sure likes to dial 911 operators in eastern Iowa.
Operators at the Black Hawk CountyConsolidated Communications Center said that they received about 400 calls from the same cell phone last week and that no one seems to be on the other line.
"That's it right now," said Dispatcher Chuck Hosier, as a phone rang in the background. "It will ring in, and it's an open line. Sometimes it rings in and drops off."
Officials can't locate the phone but have figured out that it is an old line not currently associated with a cell phone provider. Such phones, once charged up, can still place 911 calls under Federal Communications Commission rules set in 1994.
The cell phone can't receive calls, and emergency workers haven't been able to track the owner through service records, either.
"With this, we are pretty helpless," said Judy Flores, the center's administrative supervisor.
Officials are suspicious that it could be a prank — but they say it's not funny and potentially dangerous.
Until the source of the calls is found or they stop, dispatchers still have to answer every call just in case someone is on the line with an emergency.
So...I will follow up on this one. Case of the ghost...or better yet.....phone hacked?
Cell phone hacks are growing.....so if a cell phone can be hacked....what makes you think you are not?
Glad I don't have to find out!
Post Your Ad Here


Comments (4)
Theresa6
how wierd!
How would 911 know if it was a "live" call and the person can't answer or not?
Cheryl Baumgartner12
Medical Billing/Coding/Insurance
I always loved those open lines when I worked for the police dept. Kind of hard to dispatch someone when you don't know where to send them. And it is very dangerous to tie up open lines on 911. Especially with the move to centralized answering centers. Often the call is routed to another 911 answering point and the dispatcher there is not familiar with the area you are calling from. That can mean life threatening delays in getting help to you.
Jennifer Underwood11
Promoter
Scary G...
Watch out...you are the one always telling me~!?!
Think positive :0D
No more NEXT
:0D
Not Here8
just want my account deleted
Good Grief!! What Next?