70 percent of reports turned out to be unfounded: Calls to the 112 Emergency Call Center are unbelievable!

It has been determined that 70 percent of calls made to 112 Emergency Call Centers in Mardin, Siirt, and Şırnak last year consisted of unnecessary calls and unfounded reports. Center staff, who work 24/7 to respond to emergencies, stated that calls made for reasons such as "My heart is burning, can you put it out?", "My bird died.", "I saw a cat stuck in a grocery store in my dream." make their jobs difficult.

Mardin 112 Emergency Call Center Director Hülya Karaboğa told an AA reporter that in the center, where emergency calls for police, health, gendarmerie, fire department, forestry, AFAD, and coast guard units are consolidated, it is sufficient for people to call 112 in any emergency situation.

Stating that they strive to ensure that the necessary emergency teams arrive at the scene as quickly as possible in the center where coordination between relevant institutions is provided, Karaboğa said, "This allows for a faster response to the incident. They can reach 112 not only by calling but also via SMS. Our disabled citizens can also make emergency reports with an application they can download to their mobile phones."

Expressing that services are also provided for tourists by interpreters who know German, English, Russian, and Arabic at the center, Karaboğa stated that they provide training, especially in schools and rural neighborhoods, both to introduce the center and to reduce unfounded calls, and that they have reduced the rate of unfounded calls in this way.

Pointing out that the rate of unfounded calls has been reduced to 64 percent thanks to this, Karaboğa said, "In 2024, approximately 994 thousand calls were received. About 352 thousand of these calls turned into cases. In other words, our rate of valid calls that turned into cases is around 36 percent. Please do not call 112 except for emergencies. Let's not occupy the 112 line unnecessarily. We must know that occupying the 112 line unnecessarily will prevent people in emergency situations from reaching 112."

Karaboğa reported that an administrative fine of approximately 200 thousand 950 liras was imposed on 111 people in 2024 for occupying the 112 Emergency Call Center unnecessarily.

"THERE ARE THOSE WHO CALL TO CELEBRATE OUR NEW YEAR"

Emine Ayday, one of the staff working at the center, stated that they received unfounded calls last year such as "I forgot my PIN code.", "Where is my cargo?", "When will the electricity come back?", and expressed that because of these, they might not be able to reach people who are truly in need of help.

İsmail Yavuz Kır also said that they answer the first emergency call that comes to the center within 1.5 seconds, and they learn the incident and location and direct the teams within 35 seconds.

Explaining that unfounded calls put those waiting for emergency help in a difficult situation, Kır said, "Sometimes our citizens may have to wait on the line due to unfounded calls. Every second is important in a heart attack or a fire. There are those who call to ask for the pharmacy on duty, to call a taxi, or to celebrate our new year."

Onur Kalkan stated that he has been working at the center for 5 years and said, "Citizens sometimes call outside of emergency situations. There are those who say, 'My heart is burning, can you put it out?', 'My bird died.' There is also someone who called at 03:30 at night because they saw a cat stuck in a grocery store in their dream. We receive unfounded calls like these."

"ARE THE MEDICINES PRESCRIBED BY THE DOCTOR APPROPRIATE, CONVINCE ME"

In Siirt, 75 percent of the calls to the 112 Emergency Call Center consisted of unnecessary calls and unfounded reports.

The center, where 150 personnel work in shifts and which answered approximately 360 thousand calls in 2024, was also occupied with unnecessary calls such as "I'm getting sleepy.", "Where can I eat?", "My phone line hasn't been opened, can you open my line?" and "Are the medicines prescribed by the doctor I went to appropriate for me, convince me."

The director of the center, Sami Bozkurt, said that every call is evaluated as an "emergency" and efforts are made for a quick response.

Stating that they have handled 360 thousand calls last year and 1 million 400 thousand calls since the center was established in 2021, Bozkurt stated that they answer an average of 1000 calls per day, but only 25 percent of these turn into cases.

Bozkurt stated that this situation can prevent reaching incidents that require emergency intervention and that everyone should act with this awareness, saying:

"After emergency calls are consolidated into a single number, all incoming calls are handled by our personnel. Therefore, we transfer the incoming calls to the relevant institution and prevent their workload."

THEY CALLED TO ASK "WHERE CAN I EAT?"

Zühre Taş, one of the personnel working at the center, said that they handle every call with importance, adding, "There were those who called to ask 'I'm getting sleepy', 'Where can I eat?'. Unfortunately, such calls get ahead of the truly important calls. Therefore, please do not occupy this emergency number unnecessarily."

Kadri Öztürk stated that everyone from children to adults should be made aware to prevent unnecessary calls.

Explaining that sometimes children call and joke, Öztürk said that there are also those who call to ask, "My phone line hasn't been opened, can you open my line?"

Beste Aktaş, on the other hand, stated that citizens need to better understand the function of the 112 Emergency Call to prevent unnecessary calls.

"I DRANK MINERAL WATER, WILL MY BABY MELT?"

Şırnak 112 Emergency Call Center Director Erhan Tatar stated that being able to reach all units in emergencies is very important in terms of both time and coordination.

Explaining that they received 174 thousand 595 calls as a center last year, Tatar stated that the rate of those who occupy the center with unnecessary calls was 86 percent in 2022, 85 percent in 2023, and 69 percent last year, partly due to the training activities and announcements made.

Tatar stated that they ask citizens not to occupy the center unnecessarily, noting that otherwise, an administrative fine is applied, and the total amount of the fine applied to 13 people last year was 25 thousand 740 liras.

Bendeniz Özdemir, one of the personnel working at the center, stated that their primary duties are disrupted due to unnecessary calls, and that they record the information of citizens who do this and report it to the administration.

Saying "When citizens occupy it unnecessarily, a person facing an emergency cannot reach us," Özdemir explained how the teams were instrumental in saving a life upon an incoming call as follows:

"A woman called, saying she had family problems. She was so upset that she couldn't even remember the address where she lived, she was crying constantly. I suggested that she calm down. When she calmed down, I got her address and directed the teams. When the teams arrived, she was about to commit suicide and we prevented this. This incident made me more attached to my profession. I learned better how sacred a job we do."

Özdemir said that in addition to such emergencies, they also encounter many unnecessary calls, and that a pregnant woman called them to ask, "I drank mineral water, will my baby melt?"

Özgür Bahtiyar Avcı also underlined that while they strive to reach those in urgent need on time, they do not want to waste time with unnecessary calls.

News Source: AA