LONDON (AP) — Ambulance services stretched thin in the U.K. are raising concerns over the surge of bizarre non-emergency calls hampering their response times. According to the Welsh Ambulance Service, 15% of the over 425,000 calls received last year were deemed non-critical, complicates their ability to assist those truly needing urgent care.
Among the most peculiar requests were calls about minor injuries, including incidents like chipped teeth and fingers stuck in beer bottles. Notably, one mind-boggling report involved a man who sought help after his son’s pet alligator escaped and was hiding under the sofa.
Emma Worrall, one of the dispatchers for the Welsh Ambulance Service, recalled the strange exchange with the caller about the alligator. "I asked if he’d been hurt, and he said no. He was scared," Worrall commented, recalling the absurd nature of the call. She made it clear to the caller, "I told him we wouldn’t be sending an ambulance for something like [the alligator]." The man incredulously replied, "So you’re not going to send me any help until I get bit, is it?" To which she confirmed, "That’s correct."
The South Western Ambulance Service reported similarly disconcerting trends, stating more than 25% of its over 1 million calls last year did not require dispatching ambulances. These included even more dramatic cases, like individuals calling for help to locate their walking stick or complaining of nightmares.
William Lee, the assistant operations director at South Western Ambulance Service, emphasized the seriousness of the situation: "Emergency calls are for situations where minutes matter and lives are at risk." He noted the inappropriate calls wasting precious dispatch time hinder their ability to respond rapidly to genuine emergencies.
The consequences of such misuse can be severe. Burton on sea recently experienced surges to 999 calls when two local boys fell out of their kayaks, needing immediate help. Meanwhile, the ambulance service received another call from someone locked outside their home complaining of being cold.
Worrall expressed frustration at such scenarios, realizing the potential consequences of delayed medical attention to those truly suffering: "We could be on the phone to somebody with the alligator and the next call I take could be about someone experiencing cardiac arrest and they’ve had to wait longer for their call to be answered."
Following the intensity of bizarre calls received, Worrall felt it necessary to share her experiences with colleagues, creating light-hearted moments amid their demanding work environment. "We did have a little chat about [the alligator call] and, yeah, back to work I went. On to the next call," she said, underscoring the resilience dispatchers must maintain.
Both ambulance services are now urging the public to think carefully before utilizing emergency lines. Worrall concluded, "We just ask everybody to find alternative pathways before phoning for an ambulance. The ambulance service is for those who are experiencing life-threatening problems." The message is clear: education and awareness surrounding what constitutes genuine emergencies are required to preserve the integrity of the UK health system.