Prank calls swamp new 9-1-1 emergency system

Santo Domingo.- Into its second day of operation in Greater Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic’s 9-1-1 emergency response system received 42,373 calls, of which only 1,216 were genuine, 28,903 were prank and 10,000 hung up the phone without any request.

Presidency deputy minister and 9-1-1- system spokesperson Zoraima Cuello told reporters in the National Palace that 1,021 calls were the wrong number.

She warned the population on the high number of prank calls -part of which were made by children- that Law 169-14 provides for fines as high as 30 minimum wages.

Cuello added that since its launch on midnight last Friday, 30, the emergency service, 60 per cent were of the calls for the police, 19 for health services, 8 for the Metropolitan Transit Authority, 7 for firefighters and 6 percent to the Public Works Ministry .