This week, West Midlands Ambulance Service is releasing the worst prank calls it has ever received, in an attempt to raise awareness of when it is appropriate to ring emergency services.
One of the worst prank calls is a sheepish man asking the call assessor, “can I have a drink of water?”.
The week-long campaign is an initiative to ensure resources are not wasted.
The service posted this message on their blog.
“You don’t need an ambulance if you’ve lost your keys. A scary hedgehog doesn’t equate to a medical emergency. If you need a lift home after a night out in the pub, call a taxi not 999.”
Jeremy Brown, West Midlands Ambulance Service’s General Manager responsible for it’s Emergency Operations Centres, said: “My control room staff are currently dealing with around 3,000 999 calls a day. Despite us being an emergency service, it’s truly shocking what people consider to be appropriate to call 999 for.”
“We’re here for genuine life-threatening emergencies such as chest pains, cardiac arrests and difficulty breathing.”
