Menu
19/06/2012
Health Minister Condemns 999 Hoaxers
Hoax calls to Northern Ireland's emergency services have cost an estimated £3.16m - that's almost £9,000 a day - over the last three years.
Helath Minister Edwin Poots said the figures showed hoaxes were a "massive drain" on taxpayers' money.
More than 26,000 hoax and possible hoax calls were made to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service between 2009 and 2012.
Firefighters were sent out to 2,578 non-existent fires in that time.
Mr Poots said: "Hoax calls to our emergency services are totally abhorrent. The staggering £3m cost each year has been completely wasted."
The minister said those responsible were putting people's lives at risk, wasting the health services' money and running the risk of criminal conviction.
He said: "To put this into context, £3million could have been spent on more than 212,000 hours of domiciliary care, over 75,000 treatments by a physiotherapist in the community, around 250 coronary artery bypass grafts or over 5,000 weeks in a nursing home for an elderly person."
"Let's be clear – hoax calls can cost lives," he continued. "No firefighter or ambulance service personnel can be in two places at once. If a crew is called out in response to a hoax call, that crew won't be around to attend a genuine emergency - a domestic fire, heart attack or serious road traffic collision."
A person convicted of making hoax 999 calls could be imprisoned or fined £5,000, the minister said.
(NE)
Helath Minister Edwin Poots said the figures showed hoaxes were a "massive drain" on taxpayers' money.
More than 26,000 hoax and possible hoax calls were made to the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service and the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service between 2009 and 2012.
Firefighters were sent out to 2,578 non-existent fires in that time.
Mr Poots said: "Hoax calls to our emergency services are totally abhorrent. The staggering £3m cost each year has been completely wasted."
The minister said those responsible were putting people's lives at risk, wasting the health services' money and running the risk of criminal conviction.
He said: "To put this into context, £3million could have been spent on more than 212,000 hours of domiciliary care, over 75,000 treatments by a physiotherapist in the community, around 250 coronary artery bypass grafts or over 5,000 weeks in a nursing home for an elderly person."
"Let's be clear – hoax calls can cost lives," he continued. "No firefighter or ambulance service personnel can be in two places at once. If a crew is called out in response to a hoax call, that crew won't be around to attend a genuine emergency - a domestic fire, heart attack or serious road traffic collision."
A person convicted of making hoax 999 calls could be imprisoned or fined £5,000, the minister said.
(NE)
Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.
15 September 2011
One In Five NI 999 Calls Not Emergencies
According to the latest records, one in five 999 calls in Northern Ireland last year did not actually require emergency assistance. Approximately 28,500 calls made last year did not require the expertise of a paramedic when they arrived at the scene.
One In Five NI 999 Calls Not Emergencies
According to the latest records, one in five 999 calls in Northern Ireland last year did not actually require emergency assistance. Approximately 28,500 calls made last year did not require the expertise of a paramedic when they arrived at the scene.
22 March 2024
Communities Minister Pledges To Address The Housing Crisis
The Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, has committed to increasing the number of social homes and providing more affordable housing options, in his keynote address at the Northern Ireland Housing Conference.
Communities Minister Pledges To Address The Housing Crisis
The Communities Minister, Gordon Lyons, has committed to increasing the number of social homes and providing more affordable housing options, in his keynote address at the Northern Ireland Housing Conference.
03 April 2024
Health Minister Opens New £1.8m Causeway Hospital Unit
Health Minister Robin Swann has announced the opening of a new £1.8 million unit at Causeway Hospital, giving patients timely and direct access to surgical assessment, diagnostics and a treatment plan. The new surgical ambulatory unit will help reduce hospital admissions and attendances at Emergency Departments.
Health Minister Opens New £1.8m Causeway Hospital Unit
Health Minister Robin Swann has announced the opening of a new £1.8 million unit at Causeway Hospital, giving patients timely and direct access to surgical assessment, diagnostics and a treatment plan. The new surgical ambulatory unit will help reduce hospital admissions and attendances at Emergency Departments.
26 November 2002
Pub damaged in overnight arson attack
A pub in Randalstown, County Antrim, has been severely damaged in an overnight arson attack. Two "Yellow Godessess" from Ballymena, which responded to the emergency call, attended the blaze at the bar in Main Street, Randalstown, at 2.30am this morning. No injuries were reported in the blaze which extensively damaged the licensed premises.
Pub damaged in overnight arson attack
A pub in Randalstown, County Antrim, has been severely damaged in an overnight arson attack. Two "Yellow Godessess" from Ballymena, which responded to the emergency call, attended the blaze at the bar in Main Street, Randalstown, at 2.30am this morning. No injuries were reported in the blaze which extensively damaged the licensed premises.
27 May 2004
Fire Brigade hoax calls up on last year
The Northern Ireland Fire Brigade has received more than 1,500 hoax calls since the start of the year. The figure, which is an increase of about 200 for the same period last year, was contained in a report released by the Fire Brigade on Thursday. Assistant Divisional Fire Officer John Langtry condemned those behind such calls.
Fire Brigade hoax calls up on last year
The Northern Ireland Fire Brigade has received more than 1,500 hoax calls since the start of the year. The figure, which is an increase of about 200 for the same period last year, was contained in a report released by the Fire Brigade on Thursday. Assistant Divisional Fire Officer John Langtry condemned those behind such calls.
-
Northern Ireland WeatherThis Evening and Tonight:A dry evening with late sunny spells and some long clear spells overnight. Becoming cloudier across the north towards dawn with a few showers possible. Touch of frost in south. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
